The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is probably the most common wading bird in The Netherlands. The number of breeding pairs has increased since it became a protected species in 1963, but rigorous winters in the past years have decimated the population in some areas, resulting in an ever greater number of migrating herons. While some individuals leave for Southern Europe, others fly to the wetlands of Mauritania and Senegal. For now most herons are still stalking their prey locally, searching ponds and pools as thorough as a minesweeper.