Richard Ellis's photograph of the Little Egrets reminds me of a very similar sight that amazed me at a place called "Little Sea" on the Purbeck Peninsular, Hampshire 20 odd years ago.
It was getting late and was looking out for a Hobby. My partner Freddie said there were several of those big white birds like the one we saw in Crete on a dead tree. Little Egret was a rare bird in the UK then, one would be noteworthy but "several" would be unbelievable.
I hope i did not sound too dismissive but Freddie was a good observer and so i deigned to take a look at the dead tree she said had the "several" Little Egrets on it! there were in fact eight and then another five came in to roost! Even the stark dead tree against the wooded background was so similar! Thanks for the memory!
More recently, a single Brent at Newport Estuary and at least three swifts still screaming around Fishguard Coop car park!
