Henfield Birdwatch

A community website for Henfield’s Birdwatchers

Egrets, Herons, Storks and an Ibis

Over the last decade, there has been an increasing number of sightings of water big water birds in the parish, many of them white, both in numbers and variety of species. Most of these new species recorded have increased their breeding range by spreading north from central and southern Europe largely result of climate change and now find that they can survive our winters which are now warmer. There is one species that has re-colonised the UK having become extinct as a breeding species way back in the 17th century, while another bird has returned successfully as a result of a re-introduction project in West Sussex.

Egrets, Herons, Storks and an Ibis

Great White Egret

The largest of the white egrets, it is about the size of a Grey Heron but pure white with a...

Little Egret

Our most commonly seen of the white Egrets in the parish and has now become a resident breeding species and...

Western Cattle Egret

The smallest and scarcest of the white Egrets seen in the parish although a few years ago 15 were seen...

Grey Heron

This large waterbird is probably our most familiar of the herons as it is a resident in the UK and...

White Stork

With the re-introduction programme at the nearby Knepp Re-wilding Project, we are definitely going to see more of the biggest...

Spoonbill

Another big white bird we may well be seeing more of in the future is the Spoonbill. There have only...

Glossy Ibis

Not a white bird but another water species that is increasing in the UK. Only last year it has been...