Oh: and there was a Great White Egret!

A lovely Sunny almost Cloud-Free Day so we popped down to the Crossness Nature Reserve and Surrounding area in the hopes of seeing a Stonechat (or two).

We walked through the Norman Road Field up to the Thames Path: then downstream before turning off onto the Footpath leading to Norman Road North and thence back to our Starting Point.

Alas: no Stonechats (although we were told they were present) but we did see three Meadow Pipits and a Reed Bunting so couldn't complain.

And in the West Paddock we saw some Grey Herons, Greylag Geese, Little Egrets (two), Mallards, possible Shovelers (distant) and Teals.

There were a few Butterflies (Common Blue and Green-Veined White) and Little Critters (including Common Darters we think) present viz.

A Clouded Yellow Butterfly whooshed past us.

Crown Vetch and Hoary Plantain (on the Kent Rare Plant Register) growing beside Norman Road North were still flowering super-prettily viz.

Oh: and we forgot to mention that there was also a super-distant Great White Egret on the Reserve in the West Paddock viz.

A grey shadow on the Bird's back made us wonder briefly if he/she was a light coloured Grey Heron. But he/she had a yellow beak and was very much bigger than the Little Egrets present.

We sought and obtained confirmation of our Surprise Sighting. Indeed, a Bird, probably this one, had earlier been seen flying over and onto the Reserve, it being assumed it was one of the Little Egrets that frequent the general area.

So: a Great White Egret. Our first locally: we had only ever seen them previously at Dungeness. And just one of a handful of recorded Sightings in the London Borough of Bexley. Totally Unexpected and slightly Unreal.