Where Do Our Little Egrets Come From?

Little Egrets have been the success story of recent years. With only six records up to 1993 Numbers have built up since then and last autumn saw up to 100 roosting at either Leighton Moss or the Lune estuary Two recent recoveries of colour ringed birds reveals something of the source of these birds

The first was ringed as a nestling in Gwent South Wales in May 2009 and was first sighted at Leighton Moss on 16th August 2009 a distance of 291 kms in 80 days. This suggests that some at least of the late summer early autumn influx are birds of the year.

The other though shows that adult birds are also involved. It was ringed as a nestling in Kent on 11th May 2003 and reported at Leighton Moss on 9th October 2009.At over six years old it is the oldest Little Egret reported by the British Ringing Scheme ad still going strong.

John Wilson