A brief encounter / myLot

United Kingdom

October 8, 2022 2:14am CST

A couple of days ago I went to the blood donation centre (more on that later) and then afterwards planned to meet a friend for lunch, as he works on the hospital site. But I had a few minutes to wait so as it was a nice day I looked for somewhere to sit to read my book for a little while. In the centre of the hospital, surrounded by multistorey buildings on each side, is this little garden. It’s only quite small but it’s been designed so it has tall plants and little nooks with benches so several people or small groups can find a private place to sit, and paths around so there are several ways in and out. It has a pond, a little bridge and a nice arch as well as plenty of shrubs. I entered around a bush and walked towards the nearest bench and there I saw a large heron, literally an arm’s length away. I thought it must be a statue, but then it looked at me and flew off! Of course I didn’t get a chance to catch it in a photo. It was standing just next to the grassy stuff in the foreground. I was quite surprised to find it there, surrounded by big buildings in the middle of the day when there were so many people passing by all the time. But I guess it had realised no-one would bother it. I can’t imagine there were any fish in there but I guess it might have found a frog or something. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.

10 people like this

10 responses

changjiangzhibin89

@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)

• China

8 Oct 22

It is not a right place for a heron indeed.I am impressed by your always having a book with you no matter where you go.Here many people always have a smartphone on their hands.

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (35069)

• United Kingdom

8 Oct 22

It was rather unexpected.

1 person likes this

Anna

@LadyDuck (502653)

• Italy

8 Oct 22

That was a nice encounter. I agree that it might have found a frog, or some slugs or something interesting to eat. I found a salamander near our pond a few days ago.

2 people like this

Always smiling

@allknowing (153529)

• India

9 Oct 22

That grass in the photo is that a lawn or just wild grass?

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (35069)

• United Kingdom

9 Oct 22

The photo shows the pond, with a lot of duckweed on the surface with taller plants like reeds around the edge.

Juliaacv

@Juliaacv (56354)

• Canada

9 Oct 22

They are such a beautiful bird. They do not like people, and prefer to be in quiet areas, you were lucky to have such an encounter.

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (35069)

• United Kingdom

9 Oct 22

I was, I have been back there since a couple of times and looked (with my camera at the ready just in case) but no luck!

1 person likes this

Fiacre Banks

@xFiacre (14787)

• Ireland

8 Oct 22

@fleura a pleasant surprise for you both.

2 people like this

peachpurple

@peachpurple (13961)

• Malaysia

10 Oct 22

It might had migrate from somehwere else. Lost his way

1 person likes this

Fleur

@Fleura (35069)

• United Kingdom

10 Oct 22

There are a lot of rivers and streams around the area, but none all that close to the hospital which is on top of a hill! But I guess it isn't that far 'as the heron flies'!