Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Local status: Very rare vagrant
A flock of five birds was found in a field at Nunnington but sadly were only present briefly before moving on, four of which were relocated the next day in Lincolnshire, near Mablethorpe. With sightings of this species increasing in the UK & breeding now suspected in Yorkshire, records are increasing.
Records:
2025: Bank Island/Wheldrake Ings, 19th June. five
2025: Wheldrake village, 7th May. two over
2025: Wheldrake Ings, 3rd May. Three
2025: Wheldrake Ings, 11th April. two & 21st April. three
2025: North Duffield Carrs, 10th April. three
2024: Wheldrake village, 18th November. one
2024: Wheldrake Ings, 11th August. one
2024: Ellerton, early July. two adults & three fledged young
2024: Thornton Ellers, 21st May. one
2024: North Duffield Carrs, 8th to 17th May. one
2024: Thicket Priory Heronry. May. two pairs
2024: North Duffield Carrs, 23rd April. one
2024: Wheldrake Ings, 20th April. three & one on 24th April
2024: Thorganby, 16th April. three & one on 27th April
2024: Wheldrake Ings, 12th April. five & two on 13th & 14th April
2024: Thorganby, 29th & 30th March. one
2024: Pocklington Canal at Storwood, 14th March. one
2024: East Cottingwith/Storwood/Low Grounds/Bank Island/Wheldrake Ings, 20th to 24th January. one
2023: Kirkby Wharfe, 17th & 18th December. one
2023: Elvington on 13th December. one
2023: Thornton Ellers, 5th, 19th & 28th November. one
2023: Bolton Percy Ings, 5th August. one
2021: Bank Island, 28th October. one
2021: Elvington, 12th March. one
2021: Church Bridge, Melbourne, 26th January. one flew east
2020: Low Grounds at Wheldrake Ings, 9th September remaining in the area until the 16th. (juvenile)
2020: Ellerton, flew off towards Thorganby, 11th August. (adult)
2019: Bank Island from the east, before moving off towards Wheldrake Ings, 28th June (adult)
2016: Crook Moor, Thorganby, 15th January. one flew over
1992: Nunnington, 6th May. Five.
Unsubstantiated records:
2008: Wheldrake Ings, 2nd March. No description submitted