Compared to the now familiar little egret, the great white egret is enormous, almost as large as a grey heron. East Antrim birdwatchers delighted by visit of great white egret Whitehead birdwatcher Cameron Moore has captured on camera another welcome visitor to east Antrim shores. Similar in appearance to Little Egret, but at almost twice the size, Great White Egrets are an unmistakable presence wherever they appear. Great White Egret - Ardea alba. Visiting birds can be found in all kinds of wetland habitats, even farmland ditches! Great White Egret 07 Jan 2019. As the name suggests this is a large, white bird. I stopped and looked, then lo and behold a grey heron and a great white egret both took off from among the trees and flew off. Monday, 16th November 2020, 4:34 pm . Thank you. By The Newsroom. The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret, with four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe.Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, it builds tree nests in colonies close to water. The population of Great White Egret has increased significantly in Britain in the last twenty years, and is now a regular sight at many wetlands, though it remains scarce in Ireland and Scotland. Great White Egrets can look similar to Little Egrets, but they are much larger - the same size as the familiar Grey Heron. Description. Species; Additional images; Click here to support NatureSpot by making a donation - small or large - your gift is very much appreciated. I don't have a picture I'm afraid, because I was so surprised to see the egret (and it was flying away from me) I didn't have time to get my camera out. A great white egret chick has hatched in England, making a new breeding bird record for the UK, Natural England has said. A few decades ago, records of great white egret were less than annual, but many now winter in the UK and a few pairs even nest here.