Great White Egrets

[Doing it for the kids]

Never seen these before in my life but saw a pair today on the brook.

seem to be like Heron’s, do they do as much damage though?

according the the RSPB they are not that common?

 

[Kidds]

I'd never seen any until a couple of years ago, not unusual to see them now.

 

[Gong Farmer]

Little egrets are fairly common, great whites much less so. There was a pair nesting in Somerset a few years back, not sure what came of that.

 

[tr250]

See a pair quite regularly in the brook behind my house

 

[yellowbelly]

We occasionally get one on our beck, but he's probably only there 'cos he's got lost

There's loads of 'em on the nature reserve that we graze.
I think you tell 'greater from lesser' by the colour of their feet - not easy 'cos they've usually been standing in mud

 

[Exfarmer]

Not common , but I was fairly certain I had one flyover a couple of weeks ago. We regularly get the little egrets in the garden

 

[nick...]

Very common around here.we are in the top of the tas valley.see them most days flying along the river line and saw 2 on pond outside back door during the week.they were a job to scare of too.
nick..

 

[Tarw Coch]

See 3 here every spring, hadn’t a clue what they were until a tanker driver who’s a keen bird watcher got excited and told me.

 

[WillH]

Nope they're not that common but getting more common along with the other egrets.

It's been a while since I did any birding but:

They're a similar size to grey heron whereas little egret is a fair bit smaller.

Main difference for most of the year is greats have a yellow beak

during breeding though it goes black like little egret then you can use the legs as they have yellower upper legs and thighs and just general appearance

there are also cattle egrets that too are becoming more common but more slowly. they're a bit smaller than little I think and look overall a bit different

The BTO has a couple of very good videos covering them

 

[Bald Rick]

Never seen these before in my life but saw a pair today on the brook.

seem to be like Heron’s, do they do as much damage though?

according the the RSPB they are not that common?

In what way do Herons do “much damage”?

 

[deleted user 837354]

You do see a few about, on the levels I've seen them but also on the River Stour back home.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

In what way do Herons do “much damage”?

ask anyone with a fish pond!

 

[Bald Rick]

ask anyone with a fish pond!

Yes but you can stop it with an artificial heron and strings if necessary

 

[Exfarmer]

Yes but you can stop it with an artificial heron and strings if necessary

Dream on !

 

[Bald Rick]

Live and let live

I think herons are sort of cool with their feathery topknot and ungainly take off

 

[Lazy Sod]

In what way do Herons do “much damage”?

Yes but you can stop it with an artificial heron and strings if necessary

We had over 100 goldfish in our garden pond in the spring. We've spent all summer chasing off a heron, and occasionally a little egret. As the pond is about 100 square metre in area, so they are really unstoppable. The heron will fish in very low light. We've got about 50 fish now at most.

The fish were here when I bought the house 9 years ago. I'm not that bothered, although it winds Mrs. LS up somewhat. I have heard it said that the best wildlife ponds don't have fish in them.

 

[Lowland1]

Saw these two egrets whilst ploughing today I see lots in Kenya but never in the UK and would definitely not be expecting to see them in late Oct

 

[Northern territory]

Saw one on our river last year. 2 or 3 herons kicking about and an odd cormorant.

 

[Hindsight]

Saw these two egrets whilst ploughing today I see lots in Kenya but never in the UK and would definitely not be expecting to see them in late Oct

I saw one a week or so ago pop out a wet ditch down by the Forty Foot in Pointon Fen.

 

[le bon paysan]

Saw these two egrets whilst ploughing today I see lots in Kenya but never in the UK and would definitely not be expecting to see them in late Oct

Had about 40 in the field with the cows today, didn't have the camera!