AS AUTUMN comes on, little egrets are drifting around the country, and appearing at wetlands where they have not been recorded before. These wandering individuals are mostly young birds. The invasion of Britain by little egrets began with young ones crossing the Channel in just this way in 1989. They started nesting here, in Dorset, in 1996 and now, ten years later, there are thought to be about 70 breeding pairs scattered round the country, as well as many non-breeders and juveniles. More than 70 of them have been roosting every night at Castle Water, a nature reserve near Rye Harbour, Sussex.
They are beautiful white birds with a sharp black bill, black legs, and yellow feet — when the latter are not covered in mud that they have been wading in. Like herons, they fly with their head tucked in and their legs stretched out behind them. Their plumes were once used to decorate hats.
Several great white egrets, probably visitors from Eastern Europe, have also been seen here recently, including one with little egrets at Castle Water. They are larger birds, with a yellow bill in autumn and winter.
DJM