Wednesday 9 November 2016

Cattle Egret

I spotted this bird at the far end of the bull paddock.

Cattle Egret @ Jocees Farm

I'd never seen one on the farm, but after some research found out it was a Cattle Egret. They fly over from Australia in autumn to over-winter and are usually found around cattle and sheep.

Cattle Egret @ Jocees Farm

A small stocky egret similar in size to a white faced heron, with a shorter neck and hunched posture. This is the smallest egret found in New Zealand and their numbers are dwindling after poor breeding seasons in Australia.

Cattle Egret @ Jocees Farm

Another visitor to the farm is this white goose. We don't know where he came from but he seems to be enjoying the bull paddocks too.




9 comments:

  1. Good Egret photos! Handsome goose, too! We have Cattle Egrets here in the United States that look very much like yours.

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  2. Here in Florida we have more egrets than sparrows.

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  3. One of the first birds I saw decades ago when I first moved to Florida was a cattle egret sitting on the back of cattle.

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  4. I noticed egrets in Florida when we visited there. Usually they are near water. I would have liked to have seen the egret riding the cattle like Carol did. ROFL....!

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  5. nice shot, did he end up jumping into the water?

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    1. No, he just had a drink and went back to wandering around the paddock.

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  6. Hello, love the pretty Cattle Egret. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

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  7. The cattle egret seems to be larger than the variety we have here in the south. Have a great day!

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  8. Nice bird - remarkable how far these birds can fly!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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