The Wembley Heron has not been seen since Thurday - please keep a look out

 

Barn Hill pond this afternoon with notice to the public

With many groups and individuals looking out for the grey heron that has material wrapped around its beak, I am sad to report that as far as I can ascertain it has not been seen since Thursday. Checks have been made at the various places it is known to frequent, including Barn Hill Pond and the Welsh Harp Reservoir.

If any readers do see it, please let us know with a comment below or tweet to @WembleyMatters.

If you see it use the rescue numbers below and give time of sighting and the precise place seen.

Many thanks.

WEMBLEY HERON UPDATE: Walkers asked to keep rescuers informed of sightings

 

The unfortunate heron (Photo: Amanda Rose)

There was no positive identification of the Barn Hill heron on the pond today but it is thought to be still in the Brent area. 

This Grey Heron is now High Priority and multiple sanctuaries and rescue teams are working together round the clock to help him. 

Please do not approach the heron to try and free it youself. The beak is sharp and could harm you if the bird panics. 

Help the Heron signs posted on Barn Hill pond

 

Local photographer Amanda Rose has designed posters to display on Barn Hill pond today. The pond was frozen over this morning and the heron had not appeared.

Obviously the heron has to be at the pond to be given help so there are phone numbers on the notice to alert agencies.  The public are advised NOT to approach the heron to help themselves - they could be injured or could injure the heron.

 

Fryent Country Park ponds still badly affected by drought despite the recent rain

 

 

Affinity Water supplies water to parts of the north of Brent. They warned a few weeks ago that to avoid a hose pipe ban there would need to be above average rainfall over the Autumn and Winter to make up for the impact of the summer drought. If rainfall continued below average, they would need to introduce a hose pipe ban in 2023.

Following the recent heavy rainfall some people have suggested reservoirs would soon be back to normal levels. Yesterday I walked through Fryent Country Park to see how the many ponds were affected by the rain. giving an indication of what might be happening to reservoir levels.

Some were still completely dry and covered in vegetation.  Barn Hill pond on top of Barn Hill had recovered somewhat but still well below normal levels. It has a different geological base from the other ponds and there's some mystery about how it fills with suggestions of springs in the area.

The other ponds have a clay lining. Clay used to be 'puddled', beaten down to remove all the air, making a waterproof surface that retained water in the pond. Tools might be used to beat down the clay but in the past cattle would be driven through to compact the clay and in modern times when ponds are constructed  in schools pupils in wellies do the job! 

In a drought the clay is exposed to the air and the sun's heat and will crack, leading to the loss of water when the pond refills. Cracks can be seen in the dried-out pond in the photograph above. Loss of ponds in the Country Park will impact on the survival of already threatened frogs, toads and newts as well as other pond life such as dragonflies and damsel flies that give much pleasure to visitors.

Maintenance work has been done on some of the ponds and may explain the differences in water retention. Below are some of the ponds I checked yesterday, beginning with Barn Hill pond. 

 

Frogs galore in Barn Hill pond as Spring bursts into life

 

 Frogs on Barn Hill pond ©AmandaRose

Local photographer Amanda Rose caught these frogs in noisy action yesterday in Barn Hill pond, Wembley.

Recent restoration work on the pond seems to have worked its magic and there is frogspawn at both ends. According to Amanda the frogs were happily singing, unaware of the heron that held them in its beady gaze.

More photographs and a video  of what Amanda called 'an army of European brown frogs' are available on the Alamy site HERE

 

Spring awakening as frogspawn arrives on Barn Hill pond

 

Frogspawn in Barn Hill Pond this afternoon

I couldn't resist getting out in the sunshine this afternoon and visited the pond at the top of Barn Hill. As I arrived I disturbed a heron that flew silently  just a couple of feet over my head. I had heard that the frogs had been spawning and sure enough the iris bed at the north end of the pond has plenty of spawn.

I put a plea out on Twitter for dog owners to keep their dogs away from that area as last year a group of dogs owners repeatedly threw their dogs stick and balls amongst the spawn, resulting in much splashing around. The owners were busy chatting and I don't think they realised what was happening.  Inevitably, as the water is shallow here, the spawn got churned up in the mud.

Later there was a late frost and more damage was done.

Frogs and toads are in decline and we must do all we can to protect them.

Heron harbinger of Spring in Fryent Country Park

 

On of the first signs that frogs are returning to the Fryent Country Park ponds for spawning is the appearance of heron in the ponds.

My picture was taken this morning at Barn Hill pond.