Heron

Grey herons are unmistakable; tall, long legs, elegant beak with grey, black, and white feathering. They stand with their neck proudly stretched out or hunched over searching for fish, small birds and mammals. Thanet's Pegwell Bay is a shallow inlet in the English Channel coast astride the estuary of the river Stour between Ramsgate and Sandwich. The mudflats and salt marshes of Pegwell bay are home to local herons, migrating waders and wildfowl.

This heron's habitat has been infected by an oil spill. When oil sticks to a bird's feathers, it causes them to mat and separate, impairing waterproofing and exposing the animal's sensitive skin to extremes in temperature. Instinctively, the bird tries to get the oil off its feathers by preening, which results in the animal ingesting the oil and causing severe damage to its internal organs. Many oil-soaked birds lose their buoyancy and beach themselves in their attempt to escape the cold water.

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