Grey Heron

Description:

Large predatory wader, up to 1m tall, but medium-sized heron. Mainly grey upperparts and white underparts; long white neck with black stripes. This heron sports yellow eyes and long spear-like bill; it also has a black crown whose lower line remains above the eye (this last characteristic is irrelevant in Europe; but important to differentiate it from Black-crowned Heron in Africa...)

Habitat:

Seen preying in a small group in one of protected marshlands of suburban Geneva, Mategnin les Cretes.

Notes:

We saw this heron from the observatory shelter on shores of a pond, while it was silently watching a (potential) prey... the whole scene was going on some 5 meters from us. Finally, I think we made some noise - I was probably hushing/shushing my son who was losing his patience - and heron abandoned the pursuit... for its prey, see my next spotting...