Tag Archives: Great White Egret

Glossy Ibis – 19th October

October 19, 2025Recent wildlife sightingsBittern, Blackcap, Causeway, Cormorant, Deep Pit, Fieldfare, Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret, Large Gravel Pit, Marsh Harrier, pintail, Raven, Redwing, Slurry Lagoon, SnipePete Smith

Early on there was a Great White Egret on the Slurry Lagoon, plus three Snipe and a Pintail. By mid-morning a Bittern was seen on the Large Gravel Pit and a flock of 100 Cormorants. A cream-top Marsh Harrier worked its way through the site, hunting, a Blackcap was by the railway bridge and a pair of Ravens flew across the Slurry Lagoon. Three Glossy Ibis then put in an appearance, landing on the Slurry Lagoon. They then flew around the site before returning to the Slurry Lagoon. Small flocks of Fieldfares flew through and some Redwings were in the Causeway Hawthorn bushes.

Glossy Ibis – PS.

Common Scoter – 14th October

October 14, 2025Recent wildlife sightingsCauseway, common scoter, Deep Pit, Fieldfare, Great White Egret, pintail, Redwing, Slurry Lagoon, Whooper SwanPete Smith

This morning three female Common Scoters were on the Deep Pit, seven Whooper Swans flew through to the north as well as seven Great White Egrets, three of which spent some time on the Slurry Lagoon. A Fieldfare was eating berries in the Causeway bushes behind the benches and seventy Redwings flew in from the north, turned around and flew back again. The two Pintail were still feeding on the Slurry Lagoon. PS. JV.

Common Scoters – JV.

Whooper Swans – JV.

Great White Egret – 21st July

July 21, 2025Recent wildlife sightingsCommon Sandpiper, Deep Pit, Great White Egret, Hobby, Reed Bunting, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning there were five Great White Egrets on the Slurry Lagoon. Later three flew off, but two then returned mid-morning. A Common Sandpiper was on a tern raft in the Deep Pit and a Hobby snatched a Reed Bunting and carried it away. PS.

Great White Egrets – – PS.

Common Sandpiper – – PS.

Osprey – 23rd May

May 23, 2025Recent wildlife sightingsBittern, cuckoo, Deep Pit, Great White Egret, Hobby, Large Gravel Pit, Osprey, Slurry Lagoon, Tree Pipit, warblersPete Smith

Very early this morning a Tree Pipit was calling as it flew north, following the Trent. A Bittern flew from the Trent into the Slurry Lagoon reed-bed and an Osprey flew over on its migration. JV.

Later on, a Cuckoo was calling from the Deep Pit and a group of three Great White Egrets flew over the site , almost landing on the Slurry Lagoon before deciding to fly on. The Cuckoo continued flying around the Large Gravel Pit, still calling and a second Cuckoo was heard in the distance. Later the Cuckoo came back to the Slurry Lagoon and then a female flew from the reed-bed as the male flew around, still calling. Most of the warbler species were still singing well, especially a particular Garden Warbler. PS.

In the late morning a Hobby was hawking insects over the gravel pits. RJP.

Garden Warbler – PS.

Cuckoo – RJP.

Hobby – RJP.

Cuckoo – 22nd May

May 22, 2025Recent wildlife sightingscuckoo, Deep Pit, Egyptian Goose, Emperor Dragonfly, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Oystercatcher, Red KitePete Smith

This morning there were two Cuckoos seen in the Deep Pit. It was not possible to say for certain if they were a male and a female or two males. Later a Great White Egret flew over to the north and then three Red Kites also flew over to the north. The Deep Pit had three Oystercatchers on one of its Tern Rafts and eight Egyptian Geese also flew into the Deep Pit. On the bank a teneral Emperor Dragonfly was resting in some tall grass. PS.

Later a Marsh Harrier was reported from the Deep Pit. RJP.

Teneral Emperor Dragonfly. PS.

Otter – 12th February

February 12, 2025Recent wildlife sightingsBittern, Buzzard, Great White Egret, Otter, Peregrine Falcon, Slurry Lagoon, Wader ScrapePete Smith

This morning two male Peregrines flew over the site in a territorial dispute. On the Slurry Lagoon the ducks and gulls were very unsettled. Eventually an Otter showed itself as the culprit, as it also flushed a Bittern from the reed-bed. Later in the morning a Buzzard flew across the Wader Scrape and was set upon by a male and a female Peregrine who made spectacular stoops and forced an ignominious retreat back to the plantation. A Great White Egret was seen at the back of the Large Gravel Pit. PS.

Woodcock – 3rd December

December 3, 2024Recent wildlife sightingsChiffchaff, Fieldfare, Goosander, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Ouse Dyke, peregrine, Slurry Lagoon, Wader Scrape, WoodcockPete Smith

This morning two Chiffchaffs were calling from the Slurry Lagoon north path, where a Woodcock was disturbed and flew through the trees down the bank. A Peregrine was on the new pylon and a Great White Egret and Little Egret were on the Ouse Dyke near the Wader Scrape. A male Goosander was on the Slurry Lagoon and two Fieldfares flew over. PS.

Raven – 8th October

October 8, 2024Recent wildlife sightingsBlackcap, Chiffchaff, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Raven, Skylark, SwallowPete Smith

There are still a few Swallows and Skylarks passing over. A great White Egret and a Little Egret spent some time fishing in the Ouse Dyke and two Egyptian Geese flew through. Blackcap and Chiffchaff are still about and two Ravens spiralled up on a thermal. PS.

Ravens – Pete Smith.

Black-tailed Godwit – 19th August

August 19, 2024Recent wildlife sightingsBlack-tailed godwit, Common Gull, Common Snipe, Egyptian Goose, Great White Egret, Green Sandpiper, Hobby, Little Egret, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning a Black-tailed Godwit was on the Slurry Lagoon and a Green Sandpiper and Common Snipe were recorded. The Great White Egret and a Little Egret were seen as well as a Hobby, carrying prey, three Egyptian Geese, and the first Common Gull of the autumn. PS.

Bittern – 17th July

July 17, 2024Recent wildlife sightingsBittern, Great White Egret, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, peregrine, Slurry LagoonPete Smith

This morning two Hobbies were seen over the site. There were also four Peregrines and the Marsh Harrier was seen leaving its roost. Later on a Great White Egret was seen having a fracas with a Grey Heron and a Bittern flew across as it swapped reed-beds. JV/PS.

Great White Egret and Grey Heron – Pete Smith.