Have done my ID'ing but just want to confirm, particularly the Egret. I thought Egrets had yellow across the eye, not blue?
This one was in full breeding plumage (not too visible in this pic)
Is this is a pied cormorant?
Water birds
Fri, 16/01/2009 - 18:24
#1
magpie
Water birds
hi magpie.
i am thinking great egret because of the colour of bill, but the blue has got me wondering..
If the line under eye goes further back, that is another indication..
,
i think it is a little pied cormorant because of the yellow in the bill and the lack of black stripe down the leg..
.
cheers,
steve
Is it normal for the cormorant to have that brown on the breast or is he just dirty?
Would love other opinions on the blue eye stripe of the Egret
Thanks Steve
I have seen them dirty like that. it may be mud or gunk or some other reason??
,
cheers,
steve
The lakes are filthy here so yep that would be it
Hi Magpie
It is a Great Egret,the turquoise colour tells us it is in breeding plumage,Steve is right about the gape,look carefully at the photo and you can see the blue extends behide the eye, (it would not in an Intermediate Egret).In a non breeding bird the blue area would be yellow along with the bill.
The second bird is a dirty little pied cormorant.....I'm not sure that came out right...:-)
Ed Townsville NQ
Here's a GE about to show breeding colours, note the very distinct gape on this bird, compare with the bird in the forground, I am almost sure this is an IE (the black bill is a bit confusing as most of the guides do not show the IE with one, but the lores/gape shape leads me to think it is). The LE on the right is showing a pink flush on its lores another sign of breeding, along with the two head plumes.
Ed Townsville NQ
hopefully this link to a larger picture will work
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22001271@N05/3200313977/sizes/o/
Ed Townsville NQ