Species of the week: great white egret

The summer holidays are drawing to a close, and yesterday's wet weather brought with it the first real sign that autumn is approaching, so it seems like a good time to turn the focus on one our more impressive visitors from warmer climes: the great white egret.

I say from warmer climes because these large herons are much more widespread across southern and central Europe (as well as much of southern Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Central America) where the climate is generally warmer than that in the UK. However, there are now several pairs of great white egrets nesting in the UK (mainly in Somerset) and birds can be seen almost anywhere in England and Wales, and at any time of year.

here at Minsmere, great white egrets tend to most frequent from late summer through to early spring and, true to form, we've been enjoying views of up to three birds around the Scrape and reedbed for the last couple of weeks. The best place to look for them seems to be on the pools behind Wildlife Lookout, but they've also been seen on West Scrape, in North Marsh and from both Bittern Hide and Island Mere - often in flight between different pools.

Great white egret in flight by Jon Evans

Great white egrets are impressive birds. They are considerably larger than the much more familiar little egret. In fact, they are even slightly bigger than a grey heron. In non-breeding plumage they also have a huge yellow bill, which easily separates them from their smaller cousin (which has a black bill with yellow base, and yellow feet).

Great white egret by Ian Clarke

As with their smaller cousins, the long wispy neck plumes in their breeding plumage were widely used in the millinery trade during the Victorian era, resulting in massive population declines - these feathers were known as aigrettes. It was this use of feathers to make hats that led to the foundation of the RSPB. Luckily, following protection, populations have increased rapidly in recent years, leading to range expansions, which couple with a warming climate has encouraged more and more of these lovely herons to colonise the UK.

I've been lucky enough have a couple of recent encounters with great white egrets. I saw my first one this year at Rutland Water during the recent British Birdwatching Fair, commonly known as Birdfair. This event, which celebrated its 30th year this month, is always worth a visit, with exhibitors from across the globe offering holidays to far flung destinations, selling outdoor clothing, books, binoculars, etc, or simply promoting the conservation message. If you've never been, make a note in your diary for the weekend of 16-18 August 2019.

My second sighting came yesterday when I watched one following closely behind a bittern as I looked out behind Wildlife Lookout. Turning around, I could see a grey heron feeding on the Scrap e- three heron species in the space of 30 seconds isn't bad going in my book. That soon become four species when i spotted a little egret from South Hide about five minutes later.

If you've been at Minsmere over the last couple of days you'll have noticed our wardens and volunteers have been busy on the Scrape, too. They have now started the annual autumn habitat management work that is required to keep Minsmere in tiptop condition for wildlife, starting by clearing the vegetation from the islands and banks on the Scrape. This work is important as it most of the birds that nest on the Scrape - avocets, gulls, terns - like bare or sparsely-vegetated islands on which to nest. By cutting the islands now, while water levels are fairly low, then raising water levels during the winter, these islands should be perfect come March when the birds begin to return. The added bonus is that makes it much easier for you, as visitors, to spot birds on the Scrape.

Of course, whilst the work is being carried out there is always going to be some disturbance. For that reason, we try to work only on one section of the Scrape at a time, so if we're working on West Scrape you should find more birds on East or South Scrape, or out on Lucky Pool. We expect to have work parties on the Scrape on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next few weeks, but please check at reception on arrival for news of where exactly we will be working.

Although the semi-palmated sandpiper that Matt blogged about last week was last seen a week ago today, there is still a good variety of waders on the Scrape. This includes several green and common sandpipers, ruffs and spotted redshanks, small flocks of dunlins, redshanks and snipe, 100+ avocets, 80+ black-tailed godwits and the odd ringed, little ringed or grey plover or greenshank. There have also been up to 30 little gulls and a few common terns still around this week.

Duck numbers are beginning to increase rapidly, with some also acquiring their brighter fresh plumage after the post-breeding moult. Several wigeons can be seen among the teals, gadwalls, mallards and shovelers. A garganey was seen behind South Hide a couple of times this week. More unusual was a juvenile scaup that was seen on South Scrape yesterday, but had sadly vanished by the time I arrived to look for it.

Sightings of bearded tits are becoming more frequent, especially around the Island Mere boardwalk. Otters have been seen on several occasions this week at both Bittern and Island Mere Hides. Marsh harriers remain over the reedbeds too.

Some of the scarcer birds this week have been seen in the Sluice Bushes - the patch of scrub inland of the dunes immediately south of the sluice. Pick of the bunch was a wryneck that was found this morning and showed well for a while this afternoon. Sadly, I failed to see this unusual looking woodpecker on my lunchtime walk, much as I had also failed to find either the pied or spotted flycatchers that were seen in the same area yesterday. However, all was not lost as other migrants in these bushes include several whitethroats and reed buntings as well as blackcap, garden warbler, reed warbler and chiffchaff.

Wryneck by Jon Evans

The Waveney Bird Club caught and ringed good numbers of warblers, tits and finches today in what was scheduled to be the last ringing demonstration of the summer, but we're pleased to have agreed for them to return every Thursday during September too.

Finally, our konik Polskis are always popular with visitors, and they can often be spotted feeding or resting close to the Konik Field gate at the moment. They do a great job of managing the wetland margins, creating a lovely habitat mosaic. However, they also like foraging among taller vegetation and it's not unusual to find them with clump of burdock seeds attached to their manes. These large burrs are harmless, and will eventually fall out, but they do give the ponies a wonderful comic look.