White Faced Herons

[Robin Eckermann <>]

With a little encouragement from Elizabeth Compston, I thought I'd post
this picture of a pair of White Faced Herons - taken yesterday at last
year's WFH nesting site in Campbell Park. Its not a great photo, but
Elizabeth though it interesting that these birds should be checking out a
possible nesting site so early in the season - so perhaps it is of
ornithological significance ...

Some questions:

1. Is it unusual for this species to be checking out a nest so early - or
has this become "par for the course" given the warm weather
we've had recently. Yesterday there were certainly many species checking
out hollows, and I was bemused to see a pair of galahs forcibly evict a
wood duck. Not sure the wood duck was similar bemused as he fell to the
ground very unceremoniously and landed with quite a thump.

2. Is the buff-coloured collar significant in terms of breeding
stage?

3. On checking the Morcombe guide, there was no guidance as how to
distinguish male and female. Is anyone able to venture an opinion as to
which is which in this photo?

Regards ... Robin Eckermann