Local wildlife expert Roy Dennis, from Dunphail, whose reports of birds of prey, including osprey, have had the local community on the edge of their seats over the last couple of years, contacted the "Forres Gazette" last week to report a sighting of a rare white bird in a rural location near Forres.

The great white egret - which looks similar to a heron - was spotted in the area about a fortnight ago, and reports have also reached Mr Dennis over the weekend of another egret which has just arrived near Elgin.

"The egret has been living in Dunphail over the last week or so," said Mr Dennis, who is the founder of the Highland Foundation for Wildlife website.

He said that the bird was first seen about two weeks ago by local farmers Jim Coutts and Davie Munro, who spotted it fishing in the burns running through their farms.

Mr Dennis went along to observe the bird last Wednesday.

He said that it was a rare visitor to the area and the first one ever recorded in Moray.

A rare white egret which has been spotted fishing near Dunphail.

"It is a beautiful all-white egret, as big as the local grey herons," he said. "It has a long slender neck and a five-feet wingspan."

He said that during the winter, it lacks the beautiful white plumes which are so showy in the breeding season. These plumes, long ago sometimes called osprey plumes, were high fashion in the Victorian era and led to the extinction of egrets in many countries.

There had been about 40 records in Scotland, with many more in England, especially in the last couple of years, and Mr Dennis said that there was a real likelihood that this bird will nest in Britain in the near future.

Local naturalist Ian Suttie, from Forres, was also soon on the scene to enjoy watching such a special visitor, and it was also seen by Martin Cook, the editor of the Moray bird report, as well as birders from near and far.

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