Venus Pool - Little Egret (ringed)

There were just two Little Egret present at Venus Pool today and one of them was colour ringed (J6) see colour scheme below. This one rung a bell that I'd seen it before?  An upload it to the BTO and we have a result...

Here's the combination, nicely visible with quite a few keepers!

I'm grateful to Barry Trevis for getting back to me with data! Make your sighting count! Some interesting travels are unveiled.

Ringed in the nest as one of a brood of two on 20 June 2020 on the south island at Verulamium Lake, St Albans, Herts.

 14 July 2020  - seen on the same island having fledged the nest

 7 July 2021 - re-sighted at Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve, near Castleford, West Yorkshire

 24 October 2021 - Venus Pool, Shrewsbury

 17 November 2021 - Venus Pool

 21 November 2021 - Venus Pool

 8 July 2022 - Brockholes Nature Reserve, Preston

 20 October 2022 - Venus Pool (your latest observation)

Venus Pool - Great White Egrets

An amazing Egret feast has been taking place over the past two days and this was my first chance to enjoy the sight of three Great White Egrets plus three Little Egrets! This was in spite of the work party days which have made a tremendous clen up of the excess vegetation, well done everybody!

Too many pictures by far but here's a sample of my favourites... Starting with single GWE...

Take off and landing...

Nice size comparison...

Hard work to get two GWE's in the frame as they were often too close!

Here's a sight which will never be repeated - three Great Whites plus eught Little Egrets in the frame!!

They formed this tight formation as there was a fox prowling through the reed bed, a sort of safety in numbers tactic?

Eventually the fox moved on and so did they!

Quite a moment to remember!!

Venus Pool - Egrets and Waders

I wasn't expecting much but with an empty car park at Venus Pool beckoning, I walked down to the hide with a spring in my step! Rightly so, there were two Little Egrets on the middle island, then as I returned my gaze to that area, their Big Brother had walked in, a Great White Egret!

A long way off but big enough to stand a decent crop

There had also been a Redshank present on arrival but a shrill call announced some company in the shape of a Dunlin!

Shame nothing came any nearer...

Venus Pool - Little Egret flight

Little Egret are usually seen daily at VP, which means they are often ignored but given the good light I couldn't resist this one taking off...

Wonder why the Herons don't chase these off?

Venus Pool - Great White Egret

A brief afternoon call at VP produced a Great White Egret which gave me the run-around after initially standing in dense vegetation on the middle island! The local birds, as ever are never welcoming and even the Geese got in on the act!

A brief spat with the Heron, prompted a few flight opportunities, what goes up must come down! Conveniently, there's s Dunlin lurking in the lower right hand corner!

And then it was flight all the way (with too much reach)...

First one way...

Then the other!

This rather stern looking local Little Egret felt completely out of it!

All too soon, an early finish with domestic duties looming

Venus Pool - Welcome back!

It's been a long time! In fact, the last time I walked into a hide at VP was 17th February 2020! The pool looks the same, the grass and vegetation have gone crazy but the birds remain pretty predictable! 

Green Sandpiper, there were five in all, here's four of them...

Maybe not so predictable! Breeding success for the long sitting Little Ringed Plover with two juvs presumably home grown?

Finally, as good an opportunity for a Little Egret image?

Welcome back indeed!

Little Egrets - keep on truckin' at VP

Late Summer is always prime time for Little Egrets at Venus Pool and they were on top form today with FIVE present including one aggressive 'territorial' bird anxious to clear the others off! So it was an excellent opportunity for flight shots and posturing...

A few selections, starting with take off... 

And flight...

And approx half a second of this 'keep on truckin' sequence as one tried to march the other off the reserve!

Synchro magic and makes a change from flying fish captures!

Venus Pool - Little Egret gone fishing

A week hasn't elapsed yet, so I'm the thinking the Little Egrets are fair game?? An amazing 10 roosted on the island on the 16th at dusk but the maximum by day has been four so far. Here's one of them coming in to catch some fish (or should I say 'fry'!)

Best foot forward...

If you get a hand lens out, you may be able to ID these small fish :-)

Complete with droplets...

Eye to eye - Contact!

And before they go down the hatch, that blink of an eye toss to the point of no return!

Still haven't got the shot I have in mind?!