Interesting that you can be so adamant Nikolas, just by viewing a single image.
I can see nothing odd in the jizz (but jizz is always a subjective value
anyway), bill shape looks typical to me, as does bill colour. Leg length and
leg colour vary within this species and in my experience are within the range
expected in juvenile Little Egret. I do perhaps have two advantages over you.
Firstly, I have seen additional images of this bird and that I recently went
through the exercise of having to ID difficult Little Egrets at the Eastern
Treatment Plant here in Melbourne. I wrote a discussion paper on that problem
and possibly posted it somewhere, perhaps on BOCA's web site or BIRDING-AUS. I
must direct you to it or send you a copy. I have also had the task of
distinguishing, describing and analysing Western Reef Egret on the Cocos
(Keeling) Islands.
Regarding my previous posting on why it isn't a Pied Heron I failed to make
clear that that species is considerably smaller than Little Egret whereas this
individual was similar in size to another, a typical bird, also present.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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