pbono
Well-known member
I just got back from a (non-birding) tour of Ireland. But, of course, as a birder, I had my binoculars and my Birds of Europe field guide (Jonsson).
While waiting to board our tour bus at about 0745 on 25 August 2005 at the Bunratty Hotel near the mouth of the River Shannon (about 6kms from Shannon airport), I observed two white egrets flying west along the river. I had a quick look with my binoculars, but they were flying away from me so I did not get a good look at bill and leg color. My first impression was of Great White Egret, Ardea alba, based on size and overall jizz), but, upon reflection, I could not rule out Little Egret.
On 29 August at about 1100, I took the DART north out of Dublin to North Bull Island, where I saw a Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, wading in the shallows along the causeway. After a few minutes it flew south away from me over the Visitors Centre.
Jonsson does not show either egret as occurring in Ireland. However, the notes in the Bird Forum database say that Little Egret started nesting in Ireland in 1997 and that Great Egret also has occurred in Ireland.
Can anyone tell me about the distribution and occurrence of white egrets in Ireland? Is there any known colony of Great Egrets or Little Egrets around the mouth of the River Shannon? What about the occurrence of Little Egrets in Dublin Bay?
If this forum is not the right place for this thread, can someone direct me to the right forum?
Thanking you all in advance,
Peter Bono
While waiting to board our tour bus at about 0745 on 25 August 2005 at the Bunratty Hotel near the mouth of the River Shannon (about 6kms from Shannon airport), I observed two white egrets flying west along the river. I had a quick look with my binoculars, but they were flying away from me so I did not get a good look at bill and leg color. My first impression was of Great White Egret, Ardea alba, based on size and overall jizz), but, upon reflection, I could not rule out Little Egret.
On 29 August at about 1100, I took the DART north out of Dublin to North Bull Island, where I saw a Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, wading in the shallows along the causeway. After a few minutes it flew south away from me over the Visitors Centre.
Jonsson does not show either egret as occurring in Ireland. However, the notes in the Bird Forum database say that Little Egret started nesting in Ireland in 1997 and that Great Egret also has occurred in Ireland.
Can anyone tell me about the distribution and occurrence of white egrets in Ireland? Is there any known colony of Great Egrets or Little Egrets around the mouth of the River Shannon? What about the occurrence of Little Egrets in Dublin Bay?
If this forum is not the right place for this thread, can someone direct me to the right forum?
Thanking you all in advance,
Peter Bono