It was early this morning - just after dawn broke - when I was having a walk around the Home Reserve, as I often do to check all is well. The birds and animals in there are well-used to seeing me, and I am sometimes lucky enough to see the nocturnal birds and animals going off to bed, just as the daytime ones 'come on shift'!

This morning I had extra purpose - I had heard the cries of a newly hatched heron chick the day before, and I was keen to see which nest it was in. Sure enough, the single chick was present, and was in the nest where we had the tragic fatality earlier in the year. Finger crossed the parents have better luck with this one, and I shall keep a distant interest to see if any sibling offspring are produced also.

The reserve is alive with the sounds of parent birds feeding their young at present, and the parent birds are so busy collecting food, they really are not phased at all to see me down there, often coming very close to check that I have no food with me!

Three of the ponds are full again following last weeks' rain, and with what is forecast for the Bank Holiday weekend, the other three should also fill up too.

Nigel