Heron in moonlight

I walked home along the Regents Canal in the last half hour and as i turned at the Broadway locks to go across London Fields a heron* suddenly flew down and landed silently right there on the towpath. For several minutes it stood under the enormous moon while I watched it from just 2 metres away, then it flew further along the bank and called a few times (sounds like a low, light 'bark') so i think it has probably just been fledged.

So -- what a magical, velvet July night!
: )

*i've always attached huge significance to herons - almost treat them as mythical creatures