We have 3 types of Egret in the UK now, the Little, the Cattle and the Great White.

I have written them in that order as that is the way the have appeared here over the last 40 years, the first significant sightings was of the Little Egret back in 1989, they bred here in Dorset (a UK 1st) in 1996.

Cattle Egrets are abundant in the winter around Abbotsbury, they over night in a regular roost near the Swannery, sometimes up to 30+ and are easily seen in the fields around the sheep and cattle in the local area, there was a big influx of them over wintering 2007/2008 and then consequently 2 pairs bred in 2008 on the Somerset levels, they have been here ever since spreading across southern England.

Today on my walk around Lodmoor I spotted 2 Great White Egrets, which led me to do this blog, they are like a White Heron, I can’t find a definitive date as to when they were first seen in the Uk, But I can tell you that they first nested and successfully bred in 2012 on the Avalon Marshes on the Somerset Levels, not bad seeing that the 1st breeding in France only happened 1994 

Tomorrow I’m planing to go to the Purbecks, heading to Dancing ledge, I want to add to 159 bird species I have seen so far this year, hoping to see the Puffins and Razorbills weather permitting, I will keep you posted.