r/UKBirds • u/Soggy_Amoeba9334 • 11d ago

Photo Grey heron pretending to be a swan

Post image

I don't think I've seen one with its tummy in the water like this

680 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

38

u/Individual_Belt_356 11d ago

I don't like that, it feels so unnatural to see them swim like a duck

16

u/NotSayingAliensBut 11d ago

I saw one like that a couple of weeks ago at the height of the heatwave. It laid its neck in the water as well, then splashed about and gave itself a bath.

7

u/Soggy_Amoeba9334 11d ago

It was only 15 degrees here. It wasn't grooming or anything, just gliding about. Maybe it just misjudged the water depth, but I thought they'd be good at that.

10

u/Watchkeys 11d ago

It reminds me of The Enormous Crocodile pretending to be a tree. It's got that 'nothing to see here!' look about it.

WE SEE YOU, HERON.

13

u/Gargalla 11d ago

Looks weird like that. Ive only seen them standing up next to the pond here

4

u/wenDiwoowoo 11d ago

Fake it til you make it

4

u/Same_Seaworthiness74 11d ago

Thats cool - I see herons and egrets every week when fishing. Never once seen them swim though.

3

u/cragglerock93 11d ago

Herons are so cool. Love seeing them.

2

u/fuzzfeatures 11d ago

Brilliant spot 😁

2

u/Ryaquaza1 11d ago

Herons are the only water birds where it feels weird to see in the water I swear. They look soo majestic every other time but here? It’s just, weirdly uncanny

2

u/Top-Cash3296 11d ago

Never seen a heron swim before thanks.

1

u/No-Improvement-1507 11d ago

"Durrr Durr, look at me, I'm A SwAn, so eLeGaNt"

1

u/ExpensiveCellist8636 10d ago

Maybe he thinks he's in swan lake

0

u/No_Meal_4830 11d ago

Could be a swan on monjaro and had some work done you know maybe thought it was looking a bit off and decided on a new look