Egrets

Hello... What's that, creeping through the reeds? Wow, it's a great white egret. They are uncommon in the UK, though more have been seen lately, overwintering here from Europe. I only saw this one and another flying, though I was told there were three on the Leighton Moss reserve. As big as our native grey heron, they are white with a yellow bill and black feet.

Rather more common are little egrets, first recorded here in the late 1980s. These are increasing in number and are now breeding in the south of England. In the photo below, I captured both the great white and a little egret, showing the big difference in their size. (The ducks in front are shovelers, with that very heavy bill that gives them their name.)

Little egrets have black bills and legs but yellow feet. The photo below shows its plume rather nicely. My lens isn't really long enough for bird photography. There were several chaps with cameras and huge lenses in the hide - but I can't carry all that around!