A heron flew overhead as I took my morning coffee in the garden today, an hour later I walked up the towpath and saw five herons standing in the field of stubble on the opposite bank of Sprotbrough Flash vole hunting. It is a very large bird, fully grown around 36 inches tall, they can usually be seen standing in shallow water patiently stalking the fish, I have also seen them in the winter, on the rocks below the falls.
"Herons Fishing below Sprotbrough Falls"
acrylic on canvas 14"x10"
"Winter Fishing at Sprotbrough Bridge"
acrylic on canvas, small section of a larger painting.
I got to thinking how many times I have painted herons and also included them in my paintings of the local landscape and waterways. They are so much part of the local scenery and such a beautiful bird.
On Sprotbrough Cut last winter.
Herons can off course be seen on many of our waterways and this next painting is of herons at Aysgarth Falls, in acrylic, painted some time ago.
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| Herons at Aysgarth Falls |
For me, the most entertaining time to see our local herons is early on a summer morning before there are people around, and if there are boats moored up overnight sometimes a heron can be seen fishing from the roof of one.
"Heron on the Rocks"
