A number of southern Europe’s heron species have suddenly arrived in Britain, in an exotic inflow, much to the excitement of birdwatchers here. Most people cognise the widespread grey heron as one of the most familiar birds and also one of the tallest (it stands 3ft high), with a 6ft wingspan. However, lately, several of its continental kins, more typical of Spain and the Mediterranean, have popped up around the country.
At the top of the list for its noteworthy scarcity is a squacco heron, a squatty but spectacular buff-coloured marsh bird, which has surfaced on the marshes of Thames, east of London. It was last seen in 1866 at the Crossness nature reserve in Abbey Woodin.
The squacco heron, a bird with its own attractiveness, is the symbol of Spain’s national bird protection society. Other instances have been seen recently at Oare Marshes, Kent; Lodmoor reserve at Weymouth, Dorset; the Isles of Scilly and in Co Wexford, Ireland.
A night heron, a similar-sized grey bird with a black crown, which is another rare visitor to Britain from southern Europe, is present at Methley on West Yorkshire’s river Calder, while several purple herons, nearer the local heron in size but much darker, have been seen across the country, from the Minsmere reserve in Suffolk to Hamptworth in Wiltshire.
Other exotic visitants which are closely related to the heron family have also been bore witness to. Rainham Marshes in Essex is sheltering a spoonbill and more than 40 have been reported to be found this spring, including up to eight at Cley on the north Norfolk coast and five at Middlebere, Dorset.
Last week, there was also a cattle egret at Rainham, named so because it relates with livestock to catch small creatures they disturb, while seven great white egrets recently seen included one on the Shetland Isles, two on Humberside, and the remaining in Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Norfolk.
The report of 14 glossy ibises flying east over Addlestone, Surrey - possibly part of the record flock of 17 that was seen earlier in the spring in Cornwall and Gloucestershire, was most surprising and unanticipated.
Mark Grantham, a migration expert at the British Trust for Ornithology, said:
It might take a lifetime for many birdwatchers to get round to seeing all the European herons and related species in Britain, but lately virtually the full set have been on show here.
Grantham thought an anticyclone over southern Europe may have propelled the arrival by pushing birds migrating from Africa far north. But Britain’s milder weather, perhaps influenced by climate change, was another factor that could not be ruled out.
Whatever the factor may be, Britain is the destination for all bird watchers and budding ornithologists now. If you have been postponing your visit to this country, don’t do it anymore. For, the herons might as well not want to wait.
Image Credit: bbc.co.uk
