2 IDs please

4 posts / 0 new
Last post
kathiemt
kathiemt's picture
2 IDs please

I think these are a Cattle Egret and a Grey Shrike Thrush, but not completely sure. Both seen at Lysterfield Lake Park (Vic) early this morning.

I know the white one is hard to tell, I have a couple of other shots, but all in the air. There were two white birds were with the seagulls and took off when I came near. It was only I realised that they weren't seagulls.  Slightly bigger but not much.

This one I saw further up a hill, away from the lake.

pacman
pacman's picture

#1 - I suggest a Little Egret because of the visible black legs

#2 - agree, Grey Shrike-thrush

Peter

SteveM
SteveM's picture

#1 - I think Cattle Egret, not unusual for them to have black legs. The bill is too short & wrong colour for Little Egret which usually have black bills.
#2 - agree on Grey Shrike-thrush

ihewman
ihewman's picture

To identify egrets can be tricky... Little Egret bill always remains black but legs are only black when breeding. Cattle Egrets always has a yellow bill and is the shortest bill of them all... CE legs are black when non-breeding, so your photo is a nb Cattle Egret. There is hardly a size difference between Intermediate and Little Egrets and IE have yellow bills and turns pinkish when breeding. So an egret the size of a LE without a black bill, must be an Inermediate. Great Egrets are easy... gape extends well behind eye and neck is distinctively kinked rather than smooth curves. Grey Shrike-thrush is correct for your other photo.

ihewman

Brandon (aka ihewman)

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube