birding-aus

Probable/possible White-morph Eastern Reef Egret at the Western Treatmen

To: "Dr Richard Nowotny" <>, <>
Subject: Probable/possible White-morph Eastern Reef Egret at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, VIC
From: "Mike Carter" <>
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2006 17:29:42 +1100
 
This bird sounds interesting and I'd like to be kept appraised of future occurrence, opinions and developments.
 
It sounds a lot like some birds which have been seen and photographed on Cocos Islands and possibly some puzzling individuals from Christmas Island. We wonder whether some could be Western Reef Egrets but I favour possibility of Little Egret/Eastern Reef Egret hybrids. So as much detail and photographic evidence as possible should be collected. See John Darnell's write up in Johnstone & Storr (2004), Handbook of Western Australian Birds Vol. 2, Appendix B page 488. 
 
In any case, an Eastern Reef Egret in Port Phillip Bay would, I reckon, be a first!
 
A paper by Peter Menkhorst and myself on 'Nominate Race of Little Egret in Australia', which includes a record from Werribee, is due for publication this year in Australian Field Ornithology. 
 
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mt Eliza    VIC     3930
Ph:  (03) 9787 7136
Email:  
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