Once again we are so fortunate to be visited by this beautiful creature, the Little Egret. It has been spotted around Selfoss in the last ten days. In its stark white plumage it stand out among most other Icelandic birds.
In recent years the Little Egret has become an annual vagrant in Iceland and has been seen around Selfoss both spring and autumn. These birds probably come from Great Britain or Ireland where the population has been increasing for the last 20 years.
This Little Egret was taking a stroll by the river Ölfúsá where it flows through Selfoss. It’s the first heron of this kind I have come across this year. Actually only two of these have been spotted in Iceland this year and this is the second one.
The Little Egert used to be a very rare vagrant in Iceland but in recent years the numbers are increasing. They probably come from Great Britain or Ireland. His relative the Grey Heron, however, is a very common vagrant in Iceland especially during winter.