Little Egrets in my gaden

KentYeti · #1 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 08:17 AM

Well, not quite.

But the public open space out the front from me has a small stream running through it. And I thought I'd glimpsed a Little Egret taking off there a few months ago.

No doubt this morning though. Was waking up, yawning and stretching etc like Yetis do, ( I won't expand upon the "etc"

). And looked out of the window of the bedroom I am currently using, and blow me, a couple of Little Egrets flew up from the stream to perch in one of the big trees adjoining it.

We do get a heron from time to time just ensuring the local garden ponds are kept fish free, but these two will be very welcome additions to that. Well, at least by me!

Maybe it is almost time for the RSPB to udate their web site on these lovely birds:

Quote:

It is included on the Amber List as rare breeding species.

UK breeding - 146-162 pairs

There have been a lot of them around this year near the North Kent Coast, including Sheppey etc. Although I do not know how many are actually breeding.

Cheers,

Bryan

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 08:46 AM

Great bird to have so close to your garden. I occasionally see them locally outside the breeding season on the Yeading Brook + at Ruislip.

That RSPB figure is well out of date. The September issue of British Birds covered the Rare breeding birds of the UK in 2009. That gave in excess of 800 breeding pairs + with 2 subsequent breeding seasons it wouldn't surprise me if we are c1,000 pairs now.

~T~ · #3 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 08:57 AM

Pics or it didn't happen

htcdude · #4 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 09:14 AM

Haha he's probably eaten it by now knowing the Yeti

A great garden bird, not one everyone will get

As aeshna said those number are very wrong.

Nige

Billabong Karen · #5 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 09:34 AM

I've even seen them on the coast at Littlehampton.

htcdude · #6 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billabong Karen

I've even seen them on the coast at Littlehampton.

Heh ditto! We were sitting on the beach this year in June and one landed in front of us at the beach and started fishing, was a bit strange to see as there were a lot of people around.

Nige

Billabong Karen · #7 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 09:46 AM

Bizarre, huh? The time I saw them it was low tide, so they were fairly well away from all the people - nonetheless it is a well-frequented beach (by people, I mean), and the birds were totally unfazed. Felt very odd to see them there. Dont know if they are breeding locally, although there is a nature reserve on the other side of the estuary, so perhaps that is where they are based.

htcdude · #8 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 09:54 AM

Ah right the tide was right in when we saw it. There's a few places local to Littlehampton where it could be from, wouldn't surprise me if they were breeding round there.

Nige

Billabong Karen · #9 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 10:41 AM

Felt more like the banks of the Nile, than good old Littlehampton!

(My parents have a beach hut there, so we tend to go down fairly often.)

KentYeti · #10 (**permalink**) 24-10-2011, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~T~

Pics or it didn't happen

I actually went down stairs to get my camera, but they had gone when I got back. I blame the dog walkers!

But they wont be far away. They'll be somewhere on the edge of the very local Castle Lake, or a bit further away by the side of Leybourne Lakes.

Those numbers, by the way, sound very encouraging.

Cheers,

Bryan