Durham Heron

While walking the banks of the River Wear you may have seen the odd Grey Heron or two. If you are in Durham City you can go and see a model one aptly named Heron. It is nesting alongside the river bank near the Millburn Bridge (A690) on the east side (Freeman's Place).

You may have heard the expression "Wind your neck in" Well and this is exactly what herons do which makes them look quite prehistoric.

It first flew in for the Lumiere (Durham City's light festival) in 2017 and was snapped up as a permanent piece. It is said "The sculpture celebrates the beauty of nature in the heart of the city." according to the website. Getting a decent photo requiring the right angel/poise is tricky.

Apparently, It flew off from its perch for a period while Northumbrian Water decided to put a sewage treatment drain next to it.

The artist is Jon Voss who was born in Devon in1977 and trained as an architect in London. He moved to Sydney in 2004 and developed his art and design work. He has lived in the South of France since 2014 and has a studio there. They say "He creates new and exciting works of sculpture, light art, kinetic art and illustration inspired by the industrial world and nature".

Heron is described as made from inox and acrylic. I now understand that Inox comes from the French word 'inoxidable,' which you can identify as resistant to rust or as we call it in Blighty, Stainless Steel. There are many LEDs that make this diurnal bird light up at night.

Here is a smashing capture of Heron at night. My thanks go to Marya A Dalton sharing this photo.

There are a few other surprises along the river, which you can explore on this walk around Durham riverside.

And here are a couple of belta pictures of the Durham Heron by our Fabulous North friend Richard Flambard.