Wild Bird Wednesday 611 - Great White Egret

While I was in the UK earlier this year I went to the National Nature Reserve at Shapwick Heath to see the Starling Murmurations (there will be a post about that soon!)

While we were all waiting for the Starlings - and listening to Bitterns booming - a Great White Egret (Ardea alba) flew along the draining ditch next to us, and started hunting in the long grass on the far bank.  

20 years (or maybe a little bit more) ago, this would have been almost unthinkably unusual: there had been few records of this species in the UK, and was seen 'less than annually'.  These days, while it is still a good bird to see in the UK, I saw at least 4 in the month I was there.  Probably in response to climate change, this bird is expending its range into the (formerly) chillier parts of the world.

The bird did not have any success on the far bank and flew across the ditch and landed in some flooded grass on the near side of the ditch.  

Almost as soon as it landed, it stabbed at a fish in the water and caught what looks like a goldfish! (Although I suspect it is a Rudd!). At one time the bird dropped the fish, but caught it again in mid air.

It was a great thing to see - although the fish may offer a different opinion.

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