Egret

[fredpuli47]

South Cambridgeshire, flooded field by river, white bird, could only be an egret because of unmistakeable movement, stillness followed by stalking action in the shallow water,shape, recognised as like egrets I see in S France.Unfortunately I'd got no binoculars Now, have I gone mad (don't all rush) ? I've heard stories of egrets being seen on marshes out to the east of East Anglia, but not around here, 8 miles S of Cambridge.It was on its own .What kind of egret ( assuming it wasn't just a thin swan on stilts!),would it be, and is it some rare vagrant that's wandered by or do they nest or stay in Britain?

[jessiedog]

Masses of little egrets down here in Cornwall - not so common until about 10 years ago - but now I see them every day almost on local river (Camel). About half the size of a heron.

[jessiedog]

incidently, where in south cambs, I used to live near Royston.

[fredpuli47]

Try near Linton, jessie! Just remembered that this bird looked to have black legs, if that's any help. That would be the little egret would it?

[Mr Veritas]

We get lots of Little Egrets see here:~
http://www.foph.org.uk/images/Little%20Egret%2 0(Hunched).jpeg
at the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve(6 miles away).
We also get Sacred Ibis:~
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/IA57/TervilleMarce lPagnol/images/detente/imagescharade/sacred-ib is-011102.jpeg
AND
Spoonbills:~
http://www.surfbirds.com/media/Photos/spoonbil l21701.jpg
and Cattle Egrets,these are VERY common.
http://www.digital-images.net/Images/Egrets_He rons/CattleEgret_X2860.jpg

It's amazing just what birds you can see in the South East,Of course none of these birds nest or breed here,YET!

[wolf63]

I started reading this thread thinking that an 'egret' was a baby eagle.

I need to get out more....

[jessiedog]

Just looked up little egrets on camel river and apparently they are both residents and passing migrants. I know that they are here all year round, but cannot tell if they are male or female or if there are mating pairs.

Yours could be a completely different type like Mr Veritas has links to, so may still be rare.

Never been to Linton, but have heard of it and there used to be a couple from there lived just up the road from me when I arrived in Cornwall. Sorry, I don't know their surname now.

LOL wolf63

[burnhal]

little egrets are quite common- seen them in Oxfordshire, Yorkshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, East Anglia, Devon, Kent,Cornwall. Not many places you dont see them

[fredpuli47]

You disappoint me burnhall! LOL

Nearest sightings I've found so far are some two years ago at Fen Drayton, a nature reserve in , surprisingly, a fen some 28 miles away to the north. North Cambridgeshire is quite fenny still, and was once all fen of which some remains

.What puzzles me is why this individual decided to visit, or simply came across, this flooded field and our River Granta in the hilly South. Are they a wandering species with a wide territory or do they travel to find new feeding grounds?

[fredpuli47]

Thanks everyone. The bird is now visiting every day. When it leaves it flies northwards, so it may be one from the fenny areas up that way. My bird books are so old that they describe the little egret as a rarity in Britain.

[Chaffinch]

It probably is a little Egret (who incedentaly have yellow legs, but they get muddy!) We get loads in Hants, and yes they are now breeding here, brill eh