Cattle Egrets breed in the UK

A pair of CATTLE EGRETS has successfully reared a single youngster in a Somerset heron/egret colony this summer, further enforcing the view that this species is on the verge of colonising Britain. Although Cattle Egrets have bred before in counties as far afield as Cornwall and Kent, this is possibly the first time a youngster has successfully fledged the nest (although a juvenile accompanied two adults in Dorset last year in late summer). With over 100 Cattle Egrets in Britain and Ireland last winter, it will be interesting to see how
many will appear in the forthcoming autumn. With the spread of Great White Egret on the close continent too, it must only be a matter of time before that species too becomes a resident.

The dramatic spread of the Little Egret in Britain and Ireland has been one of the ornithological events of the decade. Just ten years ago, 14 pairs were breeding, but now in 2008, the breeding population has soared to an incredible 623 pairs – at 55 different sites.

Is this all proof of global warming or is it just part of a natural cyclic variation in our bird populations?