Egrets
There are three Egrets species
that are reasonably easily to see in Britain. Little Egrets are an easy
bird to see and are now common in Britain where as Great White Egret and Cattle
Egret are usually to be found occasionally and sites where are found can be seen
on various internet birding web sites.
Great White Egret
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In September
2009 a Great White Egret was seen at Saddington in Leicestershire, I
saw a GW Egret in November 2008 9see below. I wonder if it is
the same bird. If so will it over winter here and allow some
better photography?
(photo above taken early September)
In early November 2008, I was very pleased to see a
Great White Egret at Saddington in Leicestershire which is only six miles from
my home. The pictures are a bit of a record shots as the bird was a couple of
hundred meters away, but good to see none the less. Depending on weather,
commitments, and if the bird decides to stay, I will pay another visit and try
and get some better pictures.
(photos below taken in November 2008) |
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Cattle Egret
At the end of 2007,
Cattle Egret was still a rarity in
Britain - but if the number of birds around in spring 2008 is anything to
go by, it will not be long before they are reasonably common.
I have seen three birds
in two locations during Feb and March 2008.
The first was at Frethern
in Gloucestershire in Feb
and then two more with some Little Egrets at Radipole
Lake in Weymouth in March
below is a picture of
both Cattle and Little Egret from the Radipole roost site
Little Egret
Above is a
particularly close bird pictured in kingsbridge South Devon in May 2008
| A rarity in
Britain only 20 years ago, but a common bird
now in recent years.
Go to the Norfolk
coast and it's almost impossible not to see Little Egret now.
Indeed, there are always many highlights
to a visit to the North Norfolk coast, but one of them must be the site
of over 200 Little Egrets coming into Roost at Holkham fresh marsh.
The best place to view
this is from the Joe Jordon hide to the wet of Lady Anne's drive.
(When I went in November 2007, there was also a Sacred Ibis (presumed
escape from a "private bird collection") and a few deer. )
The bird pictured
right
was
taken at Thornham in Norfolk in January 2008
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The picture below was
taken when I had a lot less experience of wildlife photography and a lower spec
camera, it was taken at Cley in summer 2006.
All Photos Copyright Nigel
Spencer