The number of Western Cattle Egrets around the camp seems to have stabilized for the winter around the 100 bird mark. Good views can be had of the birds as they feed along the roadside grass verges finding insects in the soft ground after the grass has been watered. Many people in the camp have mentioned to me about the Western Cattle Egrets here and they are a popular bird with the residents who are interested in nature. The birds spend the evening roosting in the pharagmites reed-beds of the percolation pond where they arrive just before dark and leave just after first light. Good numbers of birds were first seen in the early 2000’s and have increased to toady’s numbers slowly over the last ten years. Other good birds seen on the camp over the last few days have included five Eurasian Teal and five Gadwall on the Percolation pond, and several waders still on the settling pond including new birds in the shape of Common Ringed Plover and Common Snipe. Quite a few Large White-headed Gulls are still using the percolation pond to bath in in the early morning and late evening, most of which are Steppe Gulls.
