This Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis has been a nice addition to the avifauna at Rainham Marshes recently (and since this film was recorded it appears to have been joined by another member of its species). A previous visit had produced no sightings whatsoever as the bird had been keeping a low profile but the next one provided the photographer with excellent views right in front of a hide and the egret conveniently remained in view for almost two hours. This will be evident from the accompanying sound-track as bird hides are normally convivial places where birdwatchers will become involved in quiet conversations with one another. These small herons associate closely with cattle - in this case with a herd of bullocks of rather mixed heritage that were being used to control the growth of vegetation. They feed on invertebrates disturbed by the cattle as they wander about and also on insects that irritate the cattle by gathering around their eyes or elsewhere on their bodies so they actually provide a very useful symbiotic service. Their lifestyle (unlike that of other predominantly fish-eating herons) has become essentially terrestrial. However, as Cattle Egrets are still a relative rarity in the UK the cattle are not yet used to them and there was certainly some degree of circumspection on their part as the egret approached. Once the cattle had decided to lie down the egret then moved in close enough to remove some of their parasites but it did not at any point fly up on to the back of a bullock as it really didn't need to!