*New* Little Egret - Hawkes Bay - Waitangi

[tim]

This is a another new little egret and not the other one at Haumoana.
I even went to check up on the haumoana bird when Eric was with the new bird so we can confirm two birds.
This one was dancing quite a bit on the shallows and had a bright yellow face followed by a darker bill than the haumoana bird.
Will upload a photo soon.
Hopefully two birds meet up

the little egret was seen today along with 2 bittern, the egret was joining in the spoonbill group at the lake behind waitangi

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Got the txt/tweet, thanks! Very interesting to see what happens. Please do keep us updated. I might try to get over some time.
Cheers

[tim]

No problem Neil,
The plumage on this one is far better than the other one and its just starting to come into breeding plumage so strange that its arrived now.
I have added two shots, they are quite cropped as this bird would'nt let you anywhere close.

[tim]

No sign of the new little egret today at Waitangi during my lunch break, I cant really check until the weekend "Is anyone able to check for this bird around the haumoana area to see if the two birds have met up?"
But there was a nice hawk hovering above the water for a few minutes trying to get ducklings.

[Brent Stephenson]

Hi Tim,
Nice work on finding this bird. I was driving back along SH1 between Bay View and Napier Airport on Saturday 3 Sept (late arvo) and saw what looked like a moderate sized white bird land in the pools well away from the road on the northern end of the runway. The light was against me and I was in a hurry without bins, so I didn't stop. But I do now wonder if this was your little egret?
I will be heading past there later in the week and will try and check out some of the other local spots, so will report back if I find it.
Thanks and good work!
Brent

[tim]

Hi Brent,
That sounds like him.
This bird was very cool to watch as it was doing quite a bit of water dancing, the haumoana bird doesnt really do it anymore due to its sore foot.
Tim

[Brent Stephenson]

I checked out from the Sewer outfall at Muddy Creek to Te Awanga today. No sign of either, but got some nice photos of swans and swallows. Nothing else of note. Have got a blog update online with pics - http://www.b1rder.blogspot.com

Cheers,
Brent

[tim]

I re-found the little egret again at the same place! Waitangi wetlands
I saw him only about 20mins ago during lunch.
He flew in just as I arrived and then took off to the shallows to the side of the pond.
This little egret is very active and moving quite quick around.
Also nice views of a bittern hunting around in the low reeds.

[Wayne & Marg Twydle]

Caught up with both birds today - one at Railway Wetland (aka The Horseshoe) opposite the Waitangi entrance, and the other at Haumoana Lagoon about 15 minutes later. Two Australasian Bittern were seen at the Railway Wetland yesterday.

There have been reports most years since 1989 of a Little Egret in the East Clive wetlands, and in March of 1994 two were seen. Two birds were present until at least August of that same year. Since then only one bird has been present - until a week ago when Tim saw the two!

Wayne & Margaret

[tim]

Glad that you found it Wayne & Margaret, I am hoping that the two birds might meet.
Both birds are starting to get nice breeding head plumes.