Do herons "commute" ?

[Analog Kid]

Most days I see a heron fly passed our house in the morning and occasionally I've seen it going back the other way later in the day. (I assume its the same one).

We are fairly close to a lot of woodland but miles away from any significant bodies of water. My RSPB Bird book doesn't shed much light on the subject.

Are herons 'creatures of habit' sticking to a well defined routes and routines - anyone know?

[Regulator]

Most days I see a heron fly passed our house in the morning and occasionally I've seen it going back the other way later in the day. (I assume its the same one).

We are fairly close to a lot of woodland but miles away from any significant bodies of water. My RSPB Bird book doesn't shed much light on the subject.

Are herons 'creatures of habit' sticking to a well defined routes and routines - anyone know?

You sure it's not a stork doing deliveries?   

[Analog Kid]

Most days I see a heron fly passed our house in the morning and occasionally I've seen it going back the other way later in the day. (I assume its the same one).

We are fairly close to a lot of woodland but miles away from any significant bodies of water. My RSPB Bird book doesn't shed much light on the subject.

Are herons 'creatures of habit' sticking to a well defined routes and routines - anyone know?

You sure it's not a stork doing deliveries?   

Yep 'cos this bird is grey and storks are black or white and you owe me a new keyboard by the way
 

[Pingu]

Herons don't necessary need large bodies of water. I've seen them hunting in fields (presumably wet fields with amphibians). Also they will take fish from garden ponds.

[pcolbeck]

There is a trout farm near here. The herons gather around 12:30 and wait for the guy who runs it to go for his lunch and then they're in and trying for a fishy lunch of their own. Same thing every day.

[Wascally Weasel]

Herons can fly relatively long distances in a day, particularly during the breeding season (anything from 20-30 miles radius from the heronry).

They do return to places that they know they can get food, so in that sense it won’t be uncommon to see a heron following the same or similar a route.

Waterbirds in general are often ‘commuters’ on a daily basis, travelling between sources of food.  When I lived in Barnes I would often see big flights of geese making there way too and from Barn Elm’s playing fields/WWT and Richmond Park.

[RJ]

Herons nest and roost colonially.  This makes them central place foragers and thus "commuters".

[Analog Kid]

Mmm - interesting stuff, thanks everyone.

I must also admit to being a bit surprised by my RSPB book quoting a lifespan of 25 years for these birds.

[Wascally Weasel]

Mmm - interesting stuff, thanks everyone.

I must also admit to being a bit surprised by my RSPB book quoting a lifespan of 25 years for these birds.

Quite a lot of waterbirds can be relatively long lived.  While circumstances, predators etc usually intervene mallard ducks can live to up to 25 years also* (domestic mallard breeds kept as pets can often outlive other pets like cats or dogs (unless eaten by same)).  Seabirds like Herring Gulls take longer to reach maturity than some other bird species actually live for (from memory it takes the Herring Gull up to four years to reach full maturity).

*This was why I was very, very sad when the outbreak of botulism in St James's Park in 2007 killed virtually every waterbird other than most of the geese, swans and pelicans. (There's a sole Nene left of the at least four that there used to be and for a long while there was only one very lonely looking whistling duck (they are gregarious), they have introduced more of them now though).