THE Examiner's Heron Hotline has been ringing off the hook!
We have been inundated with calls from eagle-eyed members of the public who read our story on Thursday about a cheeky heron purloining fish from a pond in Marsh.
But it seems that Marsh's garden ponds aren't the only ones under attack from the feathered fish filcher.
Huddersfield residents have reported that the bird has spread his, or her, wings and taken to raiding ponds across Huddersfield.
Recent sightings have come in from across Huddersfield.
Mum-of-two Carol Lodge saw the bird in her Ainley Top back garden.
A shocked Carol, of West Lodge Crescent, said: "We've had it here in the last couple of weeks.
"Our pond is right at the bottom of the garden, but I saw it, chased it off and it fled.
"We have an ornamental heron which we thought would scare it off. But it hasn't."
The bold as brass bird has also been sighted in the heron hot-spots of Berry Brown, Golcar and Honley.
Lucy Wright, 11, of Lindley, said she spotted the bird on Thursday.
She added: "I saw it fly over my next- door neighbour's house.
"They've got a pond there.
"It was bigger than a pigeon, but I'm not too sure how big. I think it was about the same size as my cat.
"It was grey and had a long yellow beak and big wings."
A spokesman for the RSPB charity said herons were keen fish eaters.
He added: "Garden ponds are prime sites for herons to get themselves a bite to eat. There are things that gardeners can do, such as putting a net over their pond to protect it from herons."
The spokesman also said the heron could be feeling frisky with the onset of springtime.
He said: "Herons do pair up and mate early."
The spokesman added that sightings could be as a result of more than one heron.
He said: "If they can get their food near home then they don't go on a sight-seeing tour of Huddersfield."
The RSPB produces a free leaflet on how to protect your pond from hungry herons.
Contact the organisation on 01484 861148.
