Little Egret
Egretta garzetta

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio     Little Egret

A railway line is not the obvious plave to look for a wetland bird but Little Egrets are often seen flying over Weymouth and feeding along the shores of Portland Harbour. If you have an old bird book the reason this bird isn't in there is because it was very rare in this country before 1980! The similar Cattle Egret looks like it is also about to spread across the Channel from France. It differs from the Little Egret mainly in having a yellow bill instead of a black one.