Heron walk in Battersea Park - May 22nd

I last went for a walk in Battersea Park at the beginning of May and, unfortunately, it was rather lacking any interesting wildlife.  A sucker for punishment, my camera took me for another walk there towards the end of May and, this time, there was even less wildlife than before - even lacking most of the usual suspects (ducks, geese and swans).  However, I did see several herons.

This grey heron was standing on the railings and contemplating the beauty of the yellow water irises on the sloping bank at the side of the lake.

This is another view of the same heron that was taken just round the corner from the last shot.  There were also lots of dangling grasses that were blowing around in the wind for the heron to also stare at.

I came across another grey heron further around the lake.  This one was paddling in the water near one of the paths that edge the lake.  It was being kept company by several coots.

Grey herons, though large, seem to be very nervous birds.  It let me get quite near to it but, when I tried to get ever nearer, it decided it was time to vamoose.  I just managed to get a photograph of the heron flying off to another part of the lake, leaving it's three coot pals to follow it in the water.  What an enormous wing span it has!

A little further into the park, in a secluded part of the lake, there was another grey heron perched on an interestingly-shaped branch.  Green algae had already begun to form on the surface of the lake.

As a change from herons, a mallard couple and their shadows were meandering along one of the lakeside paths.

I took the least amount of photographs on this walk than I had ever done during any of my past walks in London's parks.  However, during my next walk in Battersea Park in June, the wildlife count had definitely gone up and there were also cute ducklings and a lone cygnet to keep my camera happy.