In the ‘90s egrets were such a rare sight in the UK that the bird book I have from that time doesn’t include any egret species. But in 1996 Little Egrets started breeding here in the UK. Now in 2025, thankfully, they’re a common sight. Some wildlife is flourishing in England.
Less familiar is the Great White Egret, but this too is enjoying an increase, particularly in south-east England and East Anglia. A few pairs are now breeding in England.
Even rarer to the UK is the Cattle Egret, which I’ve seen in France but not here (yet).
In June this year I stopped to photograph a Great White Egret I’d spotted while driving along Pevensey Levels, East Sussex.
This member of the heron family is still rare enough for me to get quite excited at the opportunity to take some photos when I see one.
As if that wasn’t enough, I then watched it return from where it had been fishing, to its young just behind the pool of water. Wow, I thought, Great White Egrets are breeding here in East Sussex and I get the chance to photograph this young family!
Except…when I got home and looked at the photos, the other birds turned out not to be young Great White Egrets but a Little Egret and a Grey Heron.
Three birds of different species – but same family – hanging out together, sharing fishing space, sharing territory….
…looking very relaxed and at ease together.
If only, as Jesus suggested to his Middle Eastern audience, we could look at the birds and learn from them.
Imagine, if we humans – different but the same – one family – could learn to share space and resources in a similar way, whether in Gaza, our city centres or anywhere else.
Spirit of Nature 