Egret

[cowboy]

An egret, not sure if it's a little one or not, taken at the RSPB Saltholme reserve near Hartlepool.

Egret by cowboy72, on Flickr

It was my first time trying to shoot at this sort of distance, around a football pitch length, I was using a 7d, 300mm f4L with a 1.4tc on a monopod. I tried with a 2x tc but the photos were far too blurry, I suppose a little movement on the short end is a lot more on the long one.

 

[BillN_33]

I would say that it is a little Egret
you saw it in the UK …… not many Great get to the UK?…… but apparently there are more and more reaching the UK … but still not many
If it was outside the breeding season the Great has a yellow bill - in the breeding it turns black … the Little's is always black
Legs are also an indicator and if you could see the feet you would know which it is - Little is black legs and very yellow feet - Great is black and black
comparison of rear feather in breeding season are also an indication as well of. of course the size of the bird and wingspan …. if you could see it flying

 

[BRASH]

I would say that it is a little Egret
you saw it in the UK …… not many Great get to the UK?…… I think almost none

There are quite a few in the UK nowadays. I was looking at a breeding pair waaaaaay up here the day I got them Gannet pictures and that was at the most windswept, rain soaked corner of the NE of Scotland.

As for the photo, it's fine as a record shot and composed as well as it could be for the distance it was taken from. It's a difficult subject to get close to and expose correctly. Over all a decent effort considering the circumstances.

 

[BillN_33]

Brash - you beat me to my edit - you were lucky to see one - if you can get it full standing up etc., that would be a good shot - they are almost like Grey Herons the way the stalk their prey
I have only ever seen them in france, there is a big nature reserve near Arcachon

not much you can do with the photo - it's just a white water bird in the distance, (I've got lots like it!!), …… clearly an Egret

Here's a Great

 

[cowboy]

Thanks for the info

It was more of a chance encounter than a planned shoot