Choosing a vantage point for watching herons

A good vantage point lets you see the whole stretch of water a heron is using, from far enough away that the bird carries on with its normal routine. The aim is to be seen as little as possible. Choose the spot before you need it, because a rushed approach is the most common reason a heron leaves.

Steps

1. Walk the edge of the water first, from a distance, and note where the grey birds stand. Mark the spots that look shallow and quiet, with no reeds blocking your view.
2. Choose a spot on the bank, a ridge or a bridge that is high enough to see over low reeds but not so exposed that you stand against the sky.
3. Put the low sun behind you if you can. Glare on the water hides a heron, and a bird that looks toward you sees only a dark shape against bright light.
4. Stand or sit low, keep your outline soft with a coat or a bag, and move slowly. Quick movement is what a heron notices first.
5. Stay with the spot for a few minutes before you judge it. Birds that flew off when you arrived often settle again once you are still.
6. Pace out the distance to the nearest bird, and move back if any bird lifts or walks away from the edge.

Sound carries well over water, so keep talk and the rattle of bags to a minimum. Once you have settled, stay in one place and avoid walking along the bank in front of the birds.

What can go wrong

The usual failures are a spot too close, a bank that is soft or slippery, and a view blocked by a single tree or post. A spot too close shows as a bird that lifts or stops feeding the moment you settle. Soft banks and steep mud are a real hazard, so keep well back from any edge that gives under your feet.

How to tell it went right

A good spot lets the heron go on with its normal business. It stands, moves a few steps, strikes now and then, and does not look toward you for long. You can see the edge clearly enough to tell one bird's position from another without straining.