Young Egrets

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pacman
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Young Egrets

also from my Feb '12 day at Bundaberg Botanic Gardens

#1 Great Egret; #2 & #3 Intermediate Egret - comments please 

Owen1
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I would think Intermediate Egret due to the gape (yellow part) finishing below the eye. On a Great Egret the gape extends further behind the eye.

Cheers, Owen.

pacman
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thanks

Peter

Owen1
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Seriously I've made a right fool of myself. blush surprise It's the other way around, It's the great egrets that have the gape finishing below the eye like these ones.

Cheers, Owen.

Windhover
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Owen, Eastern Great Egrets' gapes go beyond the eye. Intermediates terminate under the eye. You were right the first time. The first two (in nest) look Intermediate and the two or one in two shots below looks like a Cattle. However, without seeing the parents I cannot be sure about Cattle. I think to be safe, seeing the adults of all the young egrets would be more helpful.

Owen1
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I should just keep my mouth shut!

Cheers, Owen.

pacman
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thanks Owen and Akos

I have got pics of adult Great & Intermediate Egrets on the day.

My recollection is that there was also adult Cattle Egrets there but I did not like any of the possible pics.

Each of the 3 pics are of different birds, taken at 2.56pm 3.06pm and then 4.11pm

Peter

clif2
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Peter they are always tricky for me to tell apart sometimes. The gape of the Great, as Akos has said extends beyond the eye; the gape of the Intermediates finishes halfway across the eye; and the gape of the Cattle Egrets finishes at the rear of the eye, of course the Cattle Egrets are smaller.

Regards

               Shane

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