Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

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Matt Jones
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Location: Oban Stewart Island New Zealand
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Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby Matt Jones » Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:31 pm

Have seen two Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island in the last few days.
One at the Golf course which seems to a favourable site for them in the past,
and this individual which was feeding beside the road at Horseshoe beach.

Cheers
CD168IMG_0326.jpg
Cattle Egret on Stewart Island
CD168IMG_0326.jpg (562.79 KiB) Viewed 2108 times
Matt Jones
Rakiura :: Stewart Island :: NZ http://www.mattjoneswildlifeimages.com
Ulva's Guided Walks - ultimate Ulva Island birding
Wrybill Birding Tours - great birds, real birders
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Matt Jones
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Location: Oban Stewart Island New Zealand
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby Matt Jones » Mon Apr 26, 2021 2:57 pm

The number of Cattle egrets have increased to at least six birds, ranging from the golf Course and the Pony paddocks at Wohlers Road, out to Horseshoe beach road and the Rugby pitch at Traill park.

Cheers
Matt Jones
Rakiura :: Stewart Island :: NZ http://www.mattjoneswildlifeimages.com
Ulva's Guided Walks - ultimate Ulva Island birding
Wrybill Birding Tours - great birds, real birders
sjacques
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby sjacques » Sat May 01, 2021 2:54 pm

Nice one Matt. Single bird in a horse paddock just outside Haast yesterday afternoon as we returned South after walking the Copland track. Only the second one I have seen in over two years in Southern SI.

Interesting to note this bird had chosen a weedy, relatively unimproved pasture to feed in. Wonder whether agricultural intensification is a barrier to this species establishing down here.

Cheers,
Sean
Pete McClelland
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby Pete McClelland » Tue May 04, 2021 1:31 pm

Lloyd Esler spotted 5 cattle egrets near Otatara yesterday, still there today. First we've had done here for quite a while except a single bird , also seen by Lloyd out by the Titiroa river earlier this year. Matt are the Rakiura birds still there?
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Matt Jones
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby Matt Jones » Wed May 05, 2021 12:04 pm

Hey Pete

I have not seen any of the birds for a few days, but had a report from a local yesterday to say they saw a single bird on Traill park
aka the rugby pitch yesterday morning.

Cheers
Matt
Matt Jones
Rakiura :: Stewart Island :: NZ http://www.mattjoneswildlifeimages.com
Ulva's Guided Walks - ultimate Ulva Island birding
Wrybill Birding Tours - great birds, real birders
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Dave H
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby Dave H » Thu May 06, 2021 1:52 pm

We had a single cattle egret feeding in a paddock with some cattle just outside Haast on Thursday and then 2 birds in a paddock with some cattle in a paddock between Whataroa and Harihari on Friday. This could have been the same bird Sean saw.

I stopped the car and tried to photograph the two, but they were very skittish and flew off almost as soon as I opened the door.
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RussCannings
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby RussCannings » Mon May 10, 2021 10:01 am

This is shamefully late (Though in my defense I thought I had posted it--but it turns out that didn't happen).---

Just to add to the spate of southern Cattle Egrets, on April 21 my family and I saw a lone Cattle Egret on the south side of SH94 while driving to Manapouri (Just west of 'The Key'---SE of Te Anau) with black angus cattle. Close to exact location: -45.523117, 167.796013

Again--apologies for the late notice.

Russ Cannings
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Matt Jones
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Re: Cattle Egrets on Stewart Island

Postby Matt Jones » Mon May 15, 2023 3:21 pm

There have been three Cattle Egrets at Ringa ringa Golf course here on the Island over the last few days. Along with a few Pipit's hanging around the Township... a sure sign of winter down here in the Deep South!
Cheers.
Matt Jones
Rakiura :: Stewart Island :: NZ http://www.mattjoneswildlifeimages.com
Ulva's Guided Walks - ultimate Ulva Island birding
Wrybill Birding Tours - great birds, real birders

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