Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

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Davidthomas
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Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:05 am

Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby Davidthomas » Thu May 31, 2018 9:31 pm

Hey everyone,
Myself and Johannes Fischer observed an adult little egret in partial breeding plumage today amongst the godwits and stilts. It was rather approachable and didn’t seem too phased by people.

Also observed were:
1 Kotuku
6 barwits one flagged BEZ
1 red knot with a transmitter (sorry Phil!) flagged ECB
6 banded dotterels
40+ stilts
One white fronted tern
3 caspian tern
10 spoonbills

David
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imogen
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Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:05 pm

Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby imogen » Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:50 am

Wonderful views of the little egret this morning.

Little Egret 02062018-17.jpg
Little Egret 02062018-17.jpg (159.06 KiB) Viewed 3299 times
Little Egret 02062018-30.jpg
Little Egret 02062018-30.jpg (139.06 KiB) Viewed 3299 times
Paul Gibson
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Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:49 am
Location: Whanganui

Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby Paul Gibson » Sat Jun 02, 2018 1:06 pm

Beautiful pictures Imogen, you have got the whites perfect.
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philbattley
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Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby philbattley » Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:39 am

The egret was still around last weekend, hanging out right by the walkway.
Phil
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imogen
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Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby imogen » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:01 pm

Egret present late this afternoon and was teamed up with a little black shag. Never seen anything quite like it.

Little Egret 21062018-18.jpg
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Little Egret 21062018-14.jpg
Little Egret 21062018-14.jpg (174.29 KiB) Viewed 2936 times

Little Egret 21062018-11.jpg
Little Egret 21062018-11.jpg (151.25 KiB) Viewed 2936 times
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ledzep
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Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby ledzep » Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:54 pm

Update on the Kotuku and Little Egret at Foxton. There was a group of us up there today (myself, Dianne, Paul Gibson, Peter Frost, Phil Battley) and we checked out the estuary and also Lake Omanu (fish & game permit needed for entry). There was one White Heron and the Little Egret at Lake Omanu. The Little Egret quite active feeding on the far side of the lake. At Foxton Estuary there was one White Heron in the morning, and Paul reported two later in the afternoon which we believe we additional to the one at Lake Omanu (ie 3 Kotuku total). Two Spoonbill at the estuary near the viewing platform, but no Spoonbill at Lake Omanu.
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Peter Frost
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Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby Peter Frost » Sat Aug 11, 2018 9:44 pm

To add to Duncan's post, the Little Egret was foraging alone along the water's edge on the far side of the lake. I managed to get reasonably close to it but could not see what it was catching, but they must have been small (insects?). It was wading in water up to its thighs in places. Here are a couple of photos: nowhere near as good as Imogen's but for the record.

Little Egret_P1060237.jpg
Little Egret foraging at Lake Omanu. (photo: © Peter Frost)
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Little Egret_Lake Omanu_P1060235.jpg
The little egret foraged in water about 15-20 cm deep (photo: © Peter Frost)
Little Egret_Lake Omanu_P1060235.jpg (584.59 KiB) Viewed 2655 times

The White Heron left the lake sometime between 2:05 pm (last seen just before I started photographing the egret) and 2:10 (after the egret had flown off and I looked up to see where the White Heron was; it had gone). Paul photographed two White Herons on the estuary, just under 3 km away, at 2:16. One cannot rule out the possibility that the second heron on the estuary, additional to the one there in the morning, was the bird from Lake Omanu.

Other species present included Canada Geese (101), Black Swan (36), NZ Dabchick (39 minimum), Grey Teal (32); NZ Scaup (29); Australasian Shoveller (19); Mallard (56); and one Grey Duck with extremely well marked facial pattern and olive-grey legs (seen through 45x scope, but unfortunately too far way for photograph). A full list will go on to New Zealand eBird.

Peter
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sav
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Location: Havelock North
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Re: Little Egret, Foxton Estuary

Postby sav » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:20 pm

Hi all,

This, or another(?) Little Egret was at Foxton Beach, viewing platform off Dawick St, last Wednesday 7 November. Sorry for the late news. via Matt Jones.

cheers
Sav Saville
Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ
Great Birds, Real Birders

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