The Lemon Fool

Could anyone help me identify a group of 4 or 5 birds that I saw this evening whilst out walking. They were primarily white and appeared to have grey or brown flashes of their wings. They were quite large, a little larger than a magpie that I saw flying nearby. The distinct trait observed was that they seemed to be sweeping a small riverbank, in the way a gun dog would sweep a hedgerow to put up game birds. Alongside the river was grass meadows. It is at least half a mile from the nearest buildings. I was not close enough to see head, beak or leg details. Location : South Cambridgeshire.

Can anyone help, or suggest a site that might. I have tried the RSPB site, but without success.

TIA John

John, I thought this site was quite good for images:

https://www.britishbirdlovers.co.uk/bird-identification

I can't think of any white UK birds other than gulls, swans, and geese

Little Egrets?

TJH

Lapwing?

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... -z/lapwing

I would be inclined to go with Little Egrets. Did I not read somewhere that they are becoming more common in certain parts of the UK?

Dod

They are certainly established around the reservoirs in Kent and Sussex.

TJH

never seen one- but quite distinctive, 'heron like', and no wing bars that I can see from photos

Sounds a bit like an Avocet to me https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... -z/avocet/

Slarti

A male hen Harrier fits the description and behaviour but I have never seen them in a group.
Little egrets are now present in Scotland at Loch Leven.

common tern?

scotia wrote:A male hen Harrier fits the description and behaviour but I have never seen them in a group.
Little egrets are now present in Scotland at Loch Leven.

At Loch Leven? Must keep a lookout. I walk there sometimes. I got to know egrets in Hong Kong where they sit on the backs of water buffalo eating the mites! They are elegant and quite distinctive and should not be too difficult to identify because they are unlike most other birds except herons, but then flying along a riverbank is a bit different.

Dod

At Loch Leven? Must keep a lookout.

At the hides at Vane Farm