The ever expanding Ibises.

There has been much avian interest to savour of late on the Weymouth reserves with most attention understandably directed towards our unusual and exotic glossy ibis, which has now – we can gladly report - been joined by a second individual. Luke caught up with the dazzling duo in one of the recently created pools deep within North Reed on Radipole. They appeared very settled and found a prolific source of food upon which they were feeding up the veritable storm.

Ibises in central Weymouth (not to be confused with the Amazon Delta).

Glossy ibis have become increasingly regular visitors to these shores but are yet to breed, but all this could be about to change if the continental pattern is repeated.  In Spain breeding only became an annual occurrence in 1993 but by 2007 the population had grown to a staggering 3777 pairs. This stratospheric increase was repeated in France where the population leapt from 14 pairs in 2006 to 478 in 2010.

Almost all of the above activity has been centred around the Mediterranean region but a single pair bred in Lac de Grand-Lieu in the west of France in 2011, having long been associated with a mixed colony of herons, assorted egrets, spoonbill and a feral population of sacred ibis.

There is an endearing oddness to the ibis captured perfectly in front profile.

Given the recent arrival of the pioneering little egrets on the UK breeding birds list (which blazed a trail eagerly followed by cattle egrets, purple heron, little bittern and spoonbill in recent times), it is tempting to predict that the glossy ibis will soon follow suit.  Who knows what strange fledglings may soon be immerging from the Nottington heronry in summers to come? So with that possibility in mind it is probably best to get yourselves down to Radipole while they are rare and credible as before we know it they may be ten a penny!

 All pictures by Luke Phillips.