Little Egrets?

[Kittiwake]

Today I saw what I think were 5 Little Egrets. They were stood next to a pond in a field in Berkshire. I always look at that field on the way past as there's usually a pair of swans on the water.

I was driving, so couldn't get any pics, but it looked like their heads were tucked in, i.e. pure white bodies, very upright, on black legs with no visible heads!

On the way back, about 4 hours later, there was just one there.

Do you think these would be Little Egrets? I've never seen one before and I can't find any pics of any with tucked in heads.

I'm going back that way on Saturday, so might see if I can get some pics if they're there again.

[hatless]

Funnily enough, I had a similar experience today. I was travelling from Yorkshire to Kings Cross by train, and thought I'd see how many birds I could spot. Just past Peterborough I saw a red kite, which was quite exciting, then twenty minutes later, three pure white heron type birds, heads tucked in. I can't call it a positive ID, but I've no idea what else they were.

[david156]

Originally Posted by Kittiwake

Today I saw what I think were 5 Little Egrets. They were stood next to a pond in a field in Berkshire. I always look at that field on the way past as there's usually a pair of swans on the water.

I was driving, so couldn't get any pics, but it looked like their heads were tucked in, i.e. pure white bodies, very upright, on black legs with no visible heads!

On the way back, about 4 hours later, there was just one there.

Do you think these would be Little Egrets? I've never seen one before and I can't find any pics of any with tucked in heads.

I'm going back that way on Saturday, so might see if I can get some pics if they're there again.

Sounds like they could be little egrets. Would look like white herons. From a distance they would seem to be about the same size or only a fraction smaller than Herons. They certainly have black legs and black bills (and yellow feet) and they do sit hunched like resting herons.

Try and get that picture.

Cheers David

[Simples]

Almost certainly Little Egrets, they are quite common in many parts of the country - on my local river they outnumber herons about 5-1.

[captaincarot]

it certainly sounds like them they stand like that when they're having a sulk because it's miserable weather

[Guinnessman1974]

Definitely Little Egrets, becoming quite common in South England now since they first bred a decade a ago in Dorset. Another hotspot is South Wales

[Kittiwake]

That's really interesting. I'm surprised I haven't seen any before!

It may sound daft, but they still seem rather exotic to me as they were never in any of the bird books that I studied as a young girl.

[Guinnessman1974]

Originally Posted by Kittiwake

That's really interesting. I'm surprised I haven't seen any before!

It may sound daft, but they still seem rather exotic to me as they were never in any of the bird books that I studied as a young girl.

Absolutely, I have fairly recently rekindled my birdwatching interest, as a kid Little Egrets were a rarity really, they only bred in the U.K about 10 years ago. Worth also looking out for Cattle Egrets, they are making more regular appearances in the U.K, only a matter of time before a pair breeds here.

I can see even more exotic birds such as Hoopoes, Bee Eaters, Dusky Warbler etc. starting to breed in the U.K over the next few decades due to climate change.