WASHED IN PERSIL
There have been some very clean white birds visible at RSPB Old Moor recently. And I mean HIGHLY visible, almost glow-in-the dark white. These birds are so clean that they look like herons that have been washed in Persil (other whiter-than-white washing products are available).
We love our herons here at Old Moor, especially the small brown booming ones that cause us to close our reed beds off every year when they're trying to make and raise chicks. I know that this isn't always a popular decision but the fact is we're primarily a conservation charity and these incredibly rare birds are prone to disturbance. The chance of a baby Bittern will overrule the chance of a perfect photograph every time. I'm sure that we all want the chance to see more of them in the future, don't we?
But the subject of this week's blog aren't the brown herons or even the grey ones that frequent just about every lake, river and fish pond in the land, it's the white ones, big and small. We usually get one, occasionally two kinds on the reserve, but there have recently been three in our valley. You probably know by now that I like to make lists so let's take a look at them individually.
Little Egret – The first of our white herons is the smallest of the lot. They're very white and very pointy in the nose department. The name 'Egret' comes from aigrette, an old French word meaning 'little heron'. These are commonly seen around the reserve.
Great White Egret – I always play the theme from 'Jaws' in my head whenever someone says they've seen a Great White on the reserve. Der-Dum... Der-Dum, Der-Dum. Surely those two notes are the best ever sound made by a tuba? Great Whites look very similar to a Little Egret but much, much bigger, about the size of our common Grey Heron. Sometimes though, size and distance can be deceiving and you could be forgiven for mixing the two up if viewed at a distance. With apologies to Father Ted, “these are small but those are far away”. Confused as to which you've seen? The answer is simple. Look for the yellow. Yellow feet equals Little Egret. Yellow beak equals Great Egret.
Spoonbill – Centuries ago these birds were known as the Spoon-billed Heron. We've just contracted the name for convenience over the years. They were also called the Shoveller, which manages to be both confusing yet totally understandable if you live in a part of the country where the other bird known by that name was never seen. They both have big bills that look like shovels. It's a fair point but I'm glad that common sense prevailed and one was renamed.
This has been a rare addition to our bird list this week. I say rare, but it's becoming less so as we get more birds drop in each year. Global warming may play its part in this, as may an increasingly stable population not far away at the RSPB's Fairburn Ings site in West Yorkshire. They are very easy to identify, with that unmistakable huge, spatulate bill. They look impressive on the ground but even more so in the air as they hold their beak pointing straight ahead.
Cattle Egret are increasingly regular visitors to this country too. Although they've only very rarely dropped in to our valley over the years, surely it's only a matter of time before they do and we can say we have six heron species here? It'll probably happen during my lifetime. Shape-wise they resemble a bittern, being chunkier than your average heron , but again the identification is in the yellow details. Along with their bright white plumage they have a thick yellow beak and creamy-gold chest and crest on their head. And, as their name suggests, they very much like hanging around with cows. So if and when one turns up, you'll be ready to sound smug when you identify it.
It's not only been the big whites that have visited us this week though. A pair of much smaller and much darker Black-Necked Grebe have been swimming around our main mere, their yellow eye tufts very much in evidence. And our Bearded Tits have been putting on a great display as their chicks have just fledged. Momma and Poppa Beardy have been seen a fair bit around our Bittern Bus Stop area (check the map or ask a member of staff) shouting at their kids. Bless.
And of course as well as all this there have been plenty of sightings of the usual but just as gorgeous birds that are regularly at our site. Dragonflies and orchids are in abundance too. It really is a great time to visit.