From:
To:
Subject: RE: Christmas Island Unknown Heron Identification
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2014 13:00:52 +1100
Hello everyone,
First of all thankyou for the overwhelming response, secondly sorry for my lack
of involvement in the thread as I have been computer less until now.
I have posted another picture
link here: http://www.wildsideaustralia.com.au/unknown-birdy-image-2/
sorry about the poor quality, these are the only 2 images.
Some parks rangers who saw the bird who are not birders identified the bird as
a juvenile Chinese Pond Heron using a field guide and based the ID on size.
I hope this helps out a little.
The facebook discussion was very helpful in identifying the bird as most people
tended to side with Juv Striated Heron perhaps a sub spp of sorts, however I
decided to post to birding aus as per request from some birders for further
opinion.
and also, yes interestingly a Cinnamon Bittern is currently in care being
treated for dehydration and exhaustion, it is soon to be released.
a link to the Cinnamon Bittern can be found here:
http://www.wildsideaustralia.com.au/seldom-seen-the-cinnamon-bittern/
Thankyou all,
Best,
Brendon Levot.
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:37:02 -0800
From:
Subject: Re: Christmas Island Unknown Heron Identification
To: ; ; ;
;
CC:
Hi David et al.,
Yes, this is an interesting discussion. Just one more little correction: At one
point you said, David, "I think the only small
herons with a complete black cap are Striated Heron and Yellow Bittern." I
guess, you had intended to add "in the area"? Little, Black-backed, Least and
Striated also have a black cap and can raise their crests.Brendon, any comments
from your side? I haven't seen your facebook discussion - is this one here a
déjà vu?
Cheers,
Nikolas ----------------
Nikolas Haass
Brisbane, QLD
From: David James <>
To: Jeff Davies <>; 'Nikolas Haass' <>;
Kevin Bartram <>; Mike Carter <>;
Mick Roderick <>
Cc: ""
<>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2014 6:14 AM
Subject: Re: Christmas Island Unknown Heron Identification
Hi Jeff, I do see where you are coming from regarding the shape and location of
the dark face stripe. It sort of fits Yellow Bittern and looks wrong for
Striated. But that is the only thing that fits Yellow. It is the wrong colour,
it has the wrong coloured bill, legs, eye and crown, and wrong shape. I agree
with Mick that we can't be sure the back and mantle are streaked, could just be
the scapulars and neck. I'm not sure
it's a Striated but less sure it's a YB. It's tougher than it should
be.Cheers,David JamesSydney============================== From: Jeff
Davies <> To: 'David James' <>;
'Nikolas Haass' <> Cc: Sent: Wednesday,
26 February 2014 3:27 PM Subject: RE: Christmas Island Unknown Heron
Identification Some images attached showing worn juveniles which are less
yellow, Brendon’s bird could actually be starting to moult in adult crown but
impossible to say at this image quality. Note that the attached enlargement of
Brendon’s bird just enlarges the pixels you start with and doesn’t add the
detail obviously missing.My suggestion is look at where the features are
positioned eg does the cap start from under the back edge of the eye or not,
position of eye and relative size eg large in the head or tiny, how the dark
marks are positioned in the face in relation to the line of the ridge of the
bill, etc etc. Cheers Jeff. From: David James
Sent: Wednesday, 26 February 2014 2:36 PMTo:
Jeff Davies; 'Nikolas
Haass'Cc: : Re: Christmas Island Unknown Heron
Identification here are some images of Striated Heron and Yellow Bittern from
CI. The Juv Striated specimen has the same plumage colour as the mystery bird.
The adult striated has the same jizz. The juvenile Yellows have the wrong
shape, colour, bill. Pics not sent to birding-aus obviously. Cheers,David
JamesSydney============================== From: Jeff Davies
<>To: 'Nikolas Haass' <>; 'David James'
<>; 'Birding-aus' <> Cc:
Sent: Wednesday, 26 February 2014 1:54 PMSubject: RE:
Christmas Island Unknown Heron Identification I still can’t see it as a
Striated Heron. The image is strongly pixilated and probably colour
compromised. The colour of the photo suggests Striated first off, but when you
look closely at the bird it can’t
be.Looking at those face markings/structures the cap appears to be well clear
of the eye position by a substantial amount. The face and bill base pattern is
all wrong for juv Striated. The eye is positioned within the apparent diagonal
line of dark starting from front of cap. I can envisage the area of pale bare
skin at bill base with no dark forward of the eye and the bill is too long and
pointy. Looks like an Ixobrychus Bittern to me.So it’s still Yellow Bittern for
mine. Cheers Jeff. From: Nikolas Haass Sent:
Wednesday, 26 February 2014 8:56 AMTo: David James; Birding-ausCc:
; Jeff DaviesSubject: Re: Christmas Island Unknown Heron
Identification Hi David, Looks like our posts crossed in cyberspace. While I am
certainly sympathetic with your point that it is a Striated Heron, as which I
initially ID'd it myself, I don't think we have done enough to rule out an
Ixobrychus (see Jeff's mail and my response). I think it is time to get a bit
more information from Brendon? Was size compared to another nearby bird? Any
more details on plumage patterns? Are there more photos? BTW most (if not all?)
Ixobrychus bitterns can raise a crest. Cheers, Nikolas ----------------Nikolas
QLD From: David James
<>To: Birding-aus <> Cc:
"" <>; Nikolas Haass
<>; Jeff Davies <> Sent: Wednesday,
February 26, 2014 6:55 AMSubject: Christmas Island Unknown Heron Identification
Hi Brendon, Your bird is without doubt a young Striated Heron. It is a rare
but regular visitor to CI with about 30 records since 2001. In fact there has
been at least 1 record every year since 2001, so it possibly even breeds on CI.
Ethel Beach is one of the spots were it is seen most often. The Striated Herons
on CI look quite different to those on mainland Australia because they are one
or more Southeast Asian subspecies, although it is not clear which one(s). They
are more heavily marked (streaked) below and have bolder face markings with
broader pale and dark
stripes. The
subspecies might be the local javanicus from nearby Indonesia (especially if
they are breeding). However, the narrow range of dates (November to May)
suggests they are migrants and therefore perhaps the more northerly migrant ssp
amurensis. There are a couple of other possibilities too. It is not a Yellow
Bittern. For starters, the upperparts are grey-green instead of tan-brown.
Yellow Bittern only has a solid black crown in adult male plumage, at which
time it is bright yellow brown with no streaking or mottling above, and the
bill is mostly yellow. I don't know that yellow bittern can raise
a crest. Cheers,David JamesSydney==============================
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