Purple Heron by Peter Coe

 

 

Spring 2023 will long be remembered for its big influxes of Black-crowned Night and Purple Herons, with both species appearing in bumper numbers across Britain and Ireland. As beautiful and striking as they are, both can be surprisingly difficult to get a good view of – this magnificent portrait of a flying Purple Heron taken by Peter Coe at Lodmoor RSPB in Weymouth, Dorset, last week certainly bucks the elusive trend!

The photographer evidently got lucky with this close fly-past of what is normally a secretive reedbed-dweller. Taken in fantastic evening light, which brings out the warm colours of the plumage, Peter has caught the Purple Heron is a brilliant pose that is only enhanced by the wide-open bill. Congratulations!

 

Other notable images

 

 

Canada Goose, Alvaston, Derbyshire (Neil Loverock).

Black Grouse, Deset, Norway (Mark Woodhead).

Puffin, Inchcolm, Fife (Harry Bell).

Eurasian Spoonbill, East Chevington NWT, Northumberland (Terry Fountain).

Northern Gannet, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire (John Atkins).

Kentish Plover, The Naze, Essex (Richard Jeffree).

Avocet, Frampton Marsh RSPB, Lincolnshire (Hazel Harrison).

Pomarine Skua, at sea, Faroe Islands (Silas Olofson).

Sandwich Tern, Coquet Island, Northumberland (peter kemp).

Common Cuckoo, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire (Tim Melling).

European Bee-eater, Montgai, Spain (Leigh Prevost).

Common Starling, Loscoe Dam, Derbyshire (Robert Booth).

Wood Warbler, Ladybower, Derbyshire (Tom Hines).

Cinereous Bunting, Lesvos, North Aegean (Glyn Sellors).

Indigo Bunting, Stillwater Marsh, Indiana (Steve Bell).