Small dangers lurk for friendly heron

MY youngest grandchild, Luca, aged three, visiting us from Bohemia in the Czech Republic, delights in feeding our adopted heron which stands as tall as himself.

The heron isn’t as delighted and regards Luca with a wary eye. Luca holds forth the fish — he holds it by the tail, rather than using a tongs — and the heron advances. In the blink of an eye it seizes the fish, and gobbles it. Luca cries out with glee.

Following a recent ‘incident’, the heron has reason to be circumspect about small boys, albeit it stays clear of humans except when it is hungry and they offer fish. “Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes,” said Virgil, a wise Roman, meaning ‘I fear the Greeks when they come bearing gifts.’ For the heron, it is “Timeo pueri et piscium ferentes”, meaning ‘I distrust small boys bearing fish.’