Wednesday 18 January 2012

Searching for Egrets

Great White Egret roosting
The weather reached all time low this morning with persistent drizzle and thick fog.  I had to go to the dentists in Llandeilo so went out anyway.  The previous evening I received a report of 2 Great White Egrets on the Tywi so I went looking.  Staring through the gloom I managed to recognise a white sign and a Mute Swan but nothing else white showed in the gloom.  I must try again when and if the weather improves.

Great White Egret

The heron species normally associated with mainland Europe have been doing some interesting things lately.  The story of the colonisation of Little Egrets is now well known.  Following on from that Cattle Egrets, Purple Herons and Little Bitterns have all nested but as far as I know have not yet become firmly established.  I reckon that Great White Egret might well join them as a breeding bird soon.


Great White with Little Egrets

This species used to be a great rarity but quite a number are recorded annually nowadays and with Great White Egrets nesting as close as the Netherlands and France surely we will not have to wait long.  There may be as many as 5 or 6 Great Whites in South Wales just now so all you BTO heronry counters keep an eye open.

1 comment:

  1. Hmmmmm. Somethings fishy here. 24 hours past and still no mention of the nil-nil draw with Chelsea.

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