Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Great White Egret

 I love this time of year. Millions and millions of birds are streaming north out of Africa and arriving on our shores which, together with a lot of coming and going by those birds closer to home, results in a very real sense of excitement and expectation concerning just what might turn up next.

But I confess that I hadn't expected a Great White Egret to arrive. It was reported yesterday from the Scrape area, and I joined Caroline & Tony in a search for it yesterday evening. It was hard work, but we eventually found it in a relatively quiet water meadow as it took off and headed north over Mill Copse looking pretty majestic!


First thing this morning I approached the flooded meadow from the east and was rewarded with great views of the Egret feeding below me. I didn't dare get too close, but watched from my elevated position as it stalked around the meadow before flying to a pool close by.

Last year Great White Egrets bred for the first time in the UK at Shapwick Heath in Somerset. With several local sightings over the past year, I wonder if we might see them nesting here at some point, too, as their range continues to expand!
Posted by at

7 comments:

  1. UnknownApril 16, 2013 at 4:42 PM

    Came across your blog when looking for wildlife sightings here in Bedfordshire :)Saw my first Great White Egret at Horsey Mere in Norfolk this March.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steve PlummerApril 16, 2013 at 8:53 PM

      Hi Poppy,
      Great to hear from you. I love the IOW, but I do miss Bedfordshire, too, especially the deer, which we don't have on the Isle of Wight! Have you seen anything interesting?

      Delete
    2. UnknownApril 19, 2013 at 12:07 PM

      We have had some good bird sightings lately. Saw some Crossbills and a Mealy Redpoll last week at The Lodge in Sandy and in March we saw a Mandarin Duck at Woburn Lakes :)
      I have been on holiday to the Isle of Wight a couple of times in my caravan before and I really like it too. I didn't really watch birds then like I do now but did see Peregrines at Tennyson Down which I enjoyed.
      I have just started a blog sharing my days out:
      http://poppyswanderings.blogspot.co.uk/

      Delete
  2. Peter HuntApril 16, 2013 at 5:31 PM

    Excellent video Steve.Seems a very elegant and graceful bird.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steve PlummerApril 16, 2013 at 8:55 PM

      Thanks, Peter - it was hard work getting to see it, but well worth it, with brilliant views through the 'scope....just need some invertebrates, too, now! :-)

      Delete
  3. AnonymousApril 16, 2013 at 6:21 PM

    What a beauty. We get Little Egret here but not the Great White. Both are elegant birds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Steve PlummerApril 16, 2013 at 8:55 PM

      I've seen them before, but it still amazes me just how big they are....and that long neck is amazing!

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)