Night Heron - 1894

Nycticorax griseus

An occasional visitor.

Mr. Dix writes that an immature specimen, in the Stackpole Court collection, was shot near Pembroke mill-pond by Mr. Tracy, about the year 1857. Within twenty yards of the same spot Mr. Tracy shot another, which he forwarded to Mr. Dix. This was on December 7th, 1868. It proved to be a male, and had a single occipital plume about three inches long, white, tipped with dark brown ; the back and wings were beautifully shot with olive green; the white spots on the back and wing coverts, Mr. Dix adds, were more distinct and larger than they are represented in Yarrell's figure.

Mr. H. Mathias has informed us that a Night Heron was shot in the Lord's meadow, at Lamphey, when he was a boy. Two others were killed near Kingsbridge, Pembroke; one of these Mr. Mathias saw in the shop of Mr. Tracy, at Pembroke, immediately after it was shot. These two specimens are, without doubt, those mentioned by Mr. Dix. In 1876, three Night Herons roosted for several days in a tree in a garden belonging to Canon Lewis, at St. David's, within thirty yards of the Cathedral. One was shot, on May 12th, and proved a fine adult male, with three white occipital plumes. This handsome specimen is now in the possession of Dr. Propert, of St. David's. The Night Heron, like many of the family, is a nocturnal feeder, hiding itself, and roosting during the day in thick bushes and trees.

Mathew M.A. 1894, Birds of Pembrokeshire and it's Islands