Page 10 - Issue 74 Online

GREY HERONS AND

EGRETS

As a child growing up in the Fens, I remember
being excited to see my first heron by the river.
I’ll never forget how huge it looked, compared to
the small garden birds.

Little Egret
In recent years, another egret species has moved
to the area: the Great Egret, or Great White

Last year, the first nesting
Great Egret in Cambridgeshire
was confirmed
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron is just shy of a metre long, Egret. These look similar to Little Egrets, but
with a wingspan almost twice that. They weigh have a yellow bill, black feet and are much larger,
between 1.5 and 2 kilograms. Herons are one around the same size as a Grey Heron. Last year,
of the first birds to nest, as early as February, the first nesting Great Egret in Cambridgeshire
nesting in colonies in treetops. Herons eat fish was confirmed: at the nearby RSPB Ouse Valley
but also ducklings, frogs and rodents, which nature reserve.
they catch with their dagger-like bills and Ajay Tegala
swallow whole.
Over the last 20 years, another heron species Manea resident Ajay and his garden will be on
has made its home in the Fens: the Little Egret, television later in the year. The CBeebies 'Teeny Tiny
expanding their range northwards from France
into England. All white, with thin black bills, Creatures' crew came to film moths and crane flies
black legs and yellow feet, they are little more (Daddy Long Legs) in
than half the size of a Grey Heron and less than his garden. His black
half their weight. Egrets also nest in trees, often Labrador, Oakley, also
in mixed heron colonies. Since the first pair got in on the action!
nested, in Dorset, in 1996, there are now around
700 nesting pairs across the UK.

10
PAGE 10 www.maneamatters.com