BLACK SWAN seen in the Parish

Black Swans are natives of Australia but birds from collections in the UK have been escaping or being released into the wild for several years now.   One has been seen very recently on the Penkridge flood meadows.  Another bird which we have been seeing a lot more of in recent years in Penkridge is the Little Egret.  These birds have been moving north from Southern Europe and now we have several colonies in the UK.  Without doubt they will be breeding in Staffordshire soon.  They have been seen on the Penk, on the Otherton Brook in the centre of the village, and other streams, ponds and wet meadows in the parish.  A Little Egret is a small heron, with all white plumage, and black bill and legs.