Odds & Sods 2021

Thanks Hazy, I saw them through the back bedroom window and made a quick decision to brave the raindrops and go out to the gate, they haven't been there all summer with the cattle but now that the sileage is being fed to the cattle they have appeared once more, I remember last year thinking (hopefully) that maybe there were Cattle Egrets there, but no, I'm quite happy to see these L Egrets, seven there were and I'm hoping the farmer has filled up the containers tonight and will see more tomorrow. So question is, why?, do they maybe feed on the cow dung which attracts the beatles, more tasty maybe once the sileage has been digested rather than just grass?

gaynorsl said:

So question is, why?, do they maybe feed on the cow dung which attracts the beatles, more tasty maybe once the sileage has been digested rather than just grass?

I would imagine the egrets are following the cattle for the likelihood of a large presence of insects whether on the actual animal itself or on the grazing land which would be constantly disturbed as the cattle roam around the fields.  Like all herons they would feed on insects and bugs like grasshoppers as well as flies, worms and I've seen herons eating frogs (even voles/shrews ! ).   There'll be a few insects buzzing around the dung too so a whole feast of goodies for these fabulous waders whether great, cattle or little    LOL 

Thanks Hazy for your input, the only thing is there have been no egrets around all summer, they have only arrived since the sileage was put out for the cattle, which made me wonder about the reason. Further to that there was no food put out for the last two days, and no egrets......... tonight they have been fed again so I wonder will there be a return of the white birds tomorrow.
Mike it has been pretty horrible the last two or so days, torrential rain and wind too, thank heavens today we had sunshine all day, Yes the ships tend to anchor off Moelfre and Benllech waiting to get into Liverpool, the size of some of those containers is scary.

Will be interesting to see if the Egrets arrive back again after the recent silage top up - maybe they like fermented insects !

gaynorsl said:

Thanks Hazy for your input, the only thing is there have been no egrets around all summer, they have only arrived since the sileage was put out for the cattle, which made me wonder about the reason. Further to that there was no food put out for the last two days, and no egrets......... tonight they have been fed again so I wonder will there be a return of the white birds tomorrow.

Mike it has been pretty horrible the last two or so days, torrential rain and wind too, thank heavens today we had sunshine all day, Yes the ships tend to anchor off Moelfre and Benllech waiting to get into Liverpool, the size of some of those containers is scary.

If its any consolation, the little egrets have been scarce at the Conwy  reserve over the last couple of years, and likewise at my local reserve.

No, nothing today, the cattle are all laying down having eaten their fill but not an egret in sight, phew.. ...another theory out of the window!!!

Pity the egrets have disappeared for the moment Gaynor and hope they return; weather here has been pretty dull, windy and rainy throughout the now shorter day so hope it bucks up soon ! As for containers on the cargo vessels, we had one of those huge 40ft ones when we moved to and then back from Ozzieland; it blocked the whole cul-de-sac but at least we warned our neighbours beforehand to be kind enough to move their cars out of the way before they got shipped to Melbourne LOL

The noise of these caught my attention

A collection of these rooks can be - parliament, building, storytelling or clamour.     I particularly like 'clamour' or even 'storytelling', just hope they don't decide to build their rookery on these trees out back as would have to invest in ear plugs :-)

Think their arrival took the Jackdaws by surprise hence the noise, today all is peaceful again.   I had a quick look in case the egrets were holding their wings up to their ears, but they were nowhere to be seen either!!!

Cracking pics Gaynor but as you say very noisy! For past 2 days at sunset I have had about 40 magpies gathering in the trees just beyond the garden and it's as if they are playing tig/tag (depends where you come from) hopping from branch to branch lol and the noise!!! Sounds like very loud kids machine guns .....its intense but only lasts about 30 mins