Little Egret , Spoonbills , Manawatu Estuary .

[jfmbirds]

I was at the Manawatu Estuary , Foxton , from 2 pm today , about a half hour walk before another heavy shower came through .Warm but very overcast ; tide well out with acres of mudflats exposed , only a little water in the channels .I spotted 2 Royal Spoonbills , about opposite the Foxton Beach Motels , small viewing platform .Had just started taking photos when another similar white bird flew in . Soon saw it was not a Spoonbill ; a Little Egret joined the group . The smaller Spoonbill , a non coloured young bird , moved away but the big , well coloued , breeding marked big bird and the Egret stayed together for the 40 minutes I was there before the next heavy shower arrived .Spotted a solo B T Godwit , well out on the flats , as I returned to the car .
Is this possibly the same Little Egret spotted here in October .?

[jfmbirds]

Hope these photos stick , - still learning the system .