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I had a left message on my phone when I got back from the Gym this afternoon from Barry Collins who had found two Great White Egrets on the Deeps by the entrance to the Army Barracks on Thorney Island. So, after a quick shower, I headed off into the rain to Thorney to get a very good year tick.
The sentry guards were most obliging and let me park my car nearby as I joined Barry Collins and several other birders to view the birds. The Great White Egrets showed very well wading in the shallow water on the Deeps and provided some superb photo opportunities during my half hour stay. We all kept out of the rain by sheltering under the conifers behind the sentry gate and got excellent views of the birds feeding with both Little Egrets (10+) and Grey Herons (5+) in attendance.
After around twenty minutes, one of the Great Whites flew off and landed in a ditch behind the reedbed in the distance. The second bird, a little bemused by this started to walk on the grassy field until it flew off and flew back onto the Deeps again to resume feeding. I questioned Barry whether it was one of the birds from Blashford, but the Blashford birds had rings on them apparently, of Dutch origin I understand.
There was another month tick in the form of Golden Plovers. At least 60+ were seen in the fields resting while the tide was high in both Chichester and Emsworth Harbours. On the Deeps, Wigeon totally dominated the wildfowl present with Teal, Mallard and Shoveler present as well.
I kept scouring the fields for Skylarks and the female Hen Harrier Barry had earlier but to no avail but I did find a Common Buzzard sat on the ground resting in front of the cattle!
Big rarities are now coming in thick and fast with a Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Killdeer, Swainsons Thrush, Petchora Pipit and Siberian Thrush in the Shetlands and a Paddyfield Warbler in Kent! Bring on those rare’s!!
Left, the Great White Egrets on the Deeps this afternoon and right, one of the Great White Egrets with a Little Egret for comparison also on the Deeps.
