Egrets? We have quite a few, say bird watchers

The great white egret will no longer be classed as a rare bird for 2021 after ornithologists reported frequent sightings across the UK last year.

The majestic bird was once seen as a rare and exotic visitor, and in the Seventies it was often seen just 150 times a year in the whole of Europe.

In 2020, UK birders recorded the creature in 2,300 new locations and Birdguides, the magazine that monitors reports of rare breeds, said it recorded 8,300 reports of egrets in 2020. It said: “Egrets have become a regular feature of many British wetlands. The sheer volume of reports has led us to this decision.”