SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY

Great White Egrets Breed in UK for First Time

from BBC News Online

Great white egrets are breeding in the UK for the first time at a Somerset nature reserve. At least one chick has hatched at Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, it has been confirmed, setting a new UK breeding bird record.

To have the egrets, a species of heron and rare visitors to the UK, breeding in the country was "incredibly exciting", manager Simon Clarke said. There have also been unconfirmed sightings of a second chick.

"It was a great sense of relief when we confirmed we have got at least one chick on the nest," Mr. Clarke told BBC Nature.