Cattle Egret migration

I saw Cattle Egrets migrating up the coast last week at Ulladulla (c40).
Someone reported nearly 200 on this list as well (further south). Have they just jumped the Tasman and landed at Bega to rest before continuing north etc?

cheers
Richard

"Andrea S Holland" <> 29/03/2005 09:39 PM

To:         "tom green" <>, <>, <>                    cc:         Subject & File Ref: Re: [canberrabirds] Honeyeater migration

First Yellow-faced HE heard on the western end of Cooleman Ridge Chapman about 12:30 pm on Saturday, followed by a bird heard in my GBS site late am on Sunday.
 
No other movement seen/heard over Easter, including when I was atlassing on private property at Royalla yesterday morning and returned home via Angle Crossing.
 
I'd appreciate postings of any significant numbers as I'm taking the BASNA people out to look at them at Angle Xing on Sunday morning.  I'm hoping for a clear crisp night (even a frost perhaps?), though the current long range forecast is not promising in this regard.
 
Jack Holland
 
PS the most unexpected sighting over the weekend was of about a dozen pure white birds seen yesterday morning round 7 am, at first perched on top of a wattle in a neighbour's back yard.  I had dismissed them as SC cockatoos until they all took off with dark legs trailing and heads carried high.  The local magpies in particular seemed to take exception to their presence.
 
While I didn't get a proper look I could only conclude they were migrating cattle egrets in non-breeding plumage, which also explains why they seemed to be sitting above rather than on the tree.  Has any other subscriber seen them too?
 
Jack Holland