Great White Egret at RSPB Ham Wall, Somerset Levels 15th June 2021.

 

Here are a few photos of one of the many Great White Egrets that now breed on the Somerset Levels as it flew into the reeds near to the Avalon hide and proceeded to hunt for fish in the shallows.

Always a bit distant and always very harsh lighting but still a joy to watch a master craftsman in the art of fishing!

 

 

Great White Egret at Walmsley sanctuary, Wadebridge. 23rd March 2020.

The Great White Egret is not a common bird in Cornwall despite the fact that they now breed in nearby Somerset.
We hold out hopes that with this continued sucess on the Levels then it won't be too far down the line before they become a Cornish resident.

This was only my third sighting in the reserve and came on the day before the world went into "lockdown" to try to protect us against the Coronavirus that had become a global pandemic.

I took these shots just after closing all of the hides and had already been told not to advertise or promote any unusual bird sightings in case people decided to risk illness in favour of adding another "tick" to their bird records.

It's now almost a fortnight since this event so I feel that I've left it long enough for the bird to be long gone!

Here are a few of the photos I've been sitting on.

Birds on the Somerset Levels 12th April 2019

Great White Egret

We had a good day in fabulous sunshine on the Levels at Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath reserves on Friday.

It was cold but a little warmth coming from the bright sun kept us going all day.

The Great White Egrets were very active and Bitterns were "booming" in the reed beds all day, sadly none ventured out of their hideaways.

Great crested Grebes were paired up and courtship was evident.
One pair was already on a nest.

Great crested Grebes

Great crested Grebes

 

 

 

Great crested Grebe

Also found a Great Spotted Woodpecker sat outside of a newly excavated nesthole but before I could get a photo she flew off, only to return later and we watched her peer out from inside the tree.

Great spotted Woodpecker

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret at Walmsley

This great white egret at Walmsley sanctuary is quite an impressive bird. Seeing it in flight being shadowed by a little egret was the best way of seeing the difference in size. The latter looking tiny against the new bird on the block!

The big question is whether this is a North American bird or a European one. We have had numerous vagrants blown across the Atlantic on the tails of the hurricanes but also we had one weekend of strong southerlies.

Wherever it's from it seems to be feeding well in the reserve so here's hoping it may stay around for a while.

Great White Egret at Walmsley sanctuary. Cornwall.

Great White Egret at Walmsley sanctuary. Cornwall.

Great White Egret at Walmsley sanctuary. Cornwall.