GO WILD WITH ERIC PAYLOR
ANOTHER rare visitor has attracted lots of birders to RSPB Saltholme this month.
It’s a cattle egret, which is the least common of the handsome white egrets that are spotted in Cleveland.
The bonus is that the cattle egret was in full summer plumage, with bright ginger markings on the top of its head, lower back and breast.
They are not called cattle egrets for nothing. They are regularly spotted among herds of cows, picking off the insects that are disturbed by the grazing animals. In fact, our visitor has been seen on several occasions perched on the backs of cows.
Cattle egrets are relatively common throughout many parts of the world but did not breed in Britain for the first time until 2008, when they raised a family in Somerset. The South-west contingent has continued to grow and the cattle egrets have spread their wings.
There has been some breeding success as far north as RSPB Fairburn Ings, near
Castleford, but cattle egrets are still extremely rare visitors to Cleveland.
However numbers are increasing worldwide. There is hope that the cattle egrets will further expand their range and one day start breeding here.
Meanwhile it’s great to see so many fledglings around, suggesting that the Teesside summer has generally been kind to breeding birds.
The house sparrows appear to have done particularly well. Last week I counted 42 in my hawthorn bush, which is a personal record.
The sparrows were gathering in late evening as they prepared to roost, having replaced a flock of young starlings on the top of the bush, which I reckoned numbered 60 or 70.
So far this year my garden has not been host to any uncommon birds though I live in hope after spotting a young redstart on the washing line a few years ago.
Please be advised that dead seabirds are still being washed up on our beaches, including several guillemots between Marske and Saltburn. This suggests that avian flu continues to strike hard.
However it’s not all bad news. There was a good number of gannets in Tees Bay the other day, which was good to see considering they have been one of the worst hit species.
Virtually every species of seabird has suffered from the disease along the North-east coast so we must hope that numbers can recover next year.
If you have noted any interesting or unusual wildlife sightings in and around Teesside and Cleveland lately, contact Eric on eric.paylor@ gmail.com