Just Too Easy To Be Seen

For weeks now I have been having an ongoing battle with a Heron.

We have even managed to get in to some what of a routine.

Basically about twice a week I cycle past him along the river. I then pretend not to have seen him and casually park up out of sight. I then, in all my high viz glory attempt to sneak up on him to blip him.

Usually he spots the high viz orange and yellow coming at him and he bolts. Yes I could wear darker clothes but where is the fun in that.

So this morning I cycled along the usual route and he was nowhere to be seen and just as I was about to leave the riverside for the path to the road I spotted him. So I dropped the bike behind a hedge and sneaked through the bushes to get my shot.

After a couple of snaps he spotted me, but instead of fleeing he slowly walked from the water and on to the bank on the other side. He then walked along until he was behind this grassy plant, presumably thinking he was hidden. After a few more shots I decided to move to a more obvious spot to see if he would take flight.

He simply stood there and let me shoot, even the likes of a pheasant, a duck along side him or a man and his dog on the path could not get him to budge.

So I am left a little confused, for weeks he has dodged me and my high viz but today he was not bothered at all. Of course it could be a different heron, but I like to think he has simply decided to trust a cyclist. I still intend to blip him in flight though.

Remember people "be safe, be seen!"