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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 21, 2010 4:04:54 GMT
I was able to get close to the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) that I had to remove my camera from the tripod and use the steel structure as my lens support. All the pictures are in full frame. Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM, Manual exposure in available light. 1/640sec., f/5.6, ISO 400  1/800sec., f/5.6, ISO 400  1/400sec., f/5.6, ISO 400  |
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Post by paulbourdin on Dec 21, 2010 8:13:51 GMT
These look like Chinese Egret. Little Egret have all black legs with bright Yellow feet. I have a couple of birds exactly like this at IRRI.
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 21, 2010 10:39:50 GMT
These look like Chinese Egret. Little Egret have all black legs with bright Yellow feet. I have a couple of birds exactly like this at IRRI. I would be most happy if they were Chinese Egret. I have been told in the past that the legs changes color depending on the season or when its molting. The lower mandible of the Chinese Egret is yellow and this one is not yellow. It is more likely a Little Egret. |
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Post by Edu Lorenzo Jr on Dec 21, 2010 10:51:17 GMT
these must be the MOST DETAILED photos of any kind of egret I have ever seen!
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Post by Neon Rosell II on Dec 21, 2010 14:41:01 GMT
Wow! Look at the detail on these captures! Excellent exposure, Ely even in the backlit bird. Sure looked like a Chinese though!  The orange bill comes out when it changes to breeding color. I still get to see and capture one  |
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 21, 2010 21:47:40 GMT
these must be the MOST DETAILED photos of any kind of egret I have ever seen! Thank you Edu. I was so near the bird that I could not take the picture with the camera mounted on the tripod. I was able to hide behind a steel structure and use it as my lens support. The Egret was so close that even on a portrait mode it could not fit into the frame. LOL I am still happy with what I got. |
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 21, 2010 21:50:52 GMT
Wow! Look at the detail on these captures! Excellent exposure, Ely even in the backlit bird. Sure looked like a Chinese though! The orange bill comes out when it changes to breeding color. I still get to see and capture one Thank you Neon. If it is a Chinese Egret than it would be a lifer for me. I will ask for the expertise of Desmond in identifying this bird. In the meantime let us be conservative and call it a Little Egret. |
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Post by paulbourdin on Dec 21, 2010 21:51:47 GMT
Not in my experience. Juveniles can have greyish or greenish legs, and this is a possibility here.
Bill colour is variable in many species, it can be a reliable indicator, but can also lead you down the wrong path. The Chinese Egret develops a mainly yellow bill in the breeding plumage.
To be honest the ID of Egrets in The Philipines is unexpectedly tricky. At IRRI I have a number of birds that I am quite unsure about, several of them resembling this bird. I've observed Little Egrets in Africa, Europe, The Middle East and Asia. and have never seen any with legs like these. Another feature that seems not right is the structure of the bill. It looks heavier-based, and blunter than Little Egret. A feature of Chinese that I don't notice (on this bird, or those at IRRI) is the thicker, shorter tibia. Also, overall Chinese are supposed to be about 10% bigger. In short I'm just not sure, though if I had to bet I might just put my money on Little Egret now.
On a side-note, I noticed that there is a disagreement between Kennedy et al and Howard & Moore as to the race of Little Egret we have. Kennedy says it is garzetta (the race I am familiar with), H & M says nigripes (which I have never encountered before). That may be the source of my confusion, though the latter sounds like it has black feet!
Update: nigripes occurs in Indonesia south to New Guinea, and it does have black feet.
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Post by Clemn A. Macasiano Jr. on Dec 21, 2010 21:56:19 GMT
Well done Ely ...
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 21, 2010 22:26:58 GMT
For a while you had my hopes up that it is a Chinese Egret but when you said that you would put your money that its a Little Egret for now, I am back to where I presumed the bird to be. LOL
Anyway I know how difficult it is to ID this bird just like trying to ID the Pond Heron on whether it is a Javan or a Chinese when they are not on their breeding plumage.
Hope springs eternal. If some experts on bird ID would call it a (Egretta eulophotes) than I would like to have a bottle of beer with him to celebrate this lifer for me.
Thank you Paul for showing your interest on this bird. Perhaps you know of someone who can help to ID this bird and let us hear what he has to say.
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 21, 2010 22:30:15 GMT
Thank you Boymac. Now I am curious and anxious as to whether this bird is a Little Egret or Chinese Egret. I hope I don't have to wait a few months for the bird to change its plumage and hoping that it is still there for me to take his photo. LOL |
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Post by ka rene bajit on Dec 22, 2010 2:27:28 GMT
great details, ely!!
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 22, 2010 7:25:25 GMT
Thank you Rene. I have just received an email from Desmond and he thinks it is a sick Little Egret. The water must be polluted to make the birds sick and I wonder how long all the Collared Kingfisher will survive living in this condition. |
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 23, 2010 7:20:21 GMT
Here is another picture of the Little Egret with the blue and red barge on the background. I like this scene very much because I have never seen anything like it. The details also came out very sharp because of the background.  |
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Post by Edu Lorenzo Jr on Dec 23, 2010 9:23:37 GMT
wow. Can't get any better than this!
I agree sir, had the feet been included in the picture it would have been perfect. But that surreal background is absolutely stunning!
Nit - am not sure if it is lens flare or a speck of dust, but I see a small artifact near your signature. I can see it also in the first version. A small white circle.
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Post by gabriel buluran on Dec 23, 2010 9:52:37 GMT
wow! this should really be close ely! and i'm sure surprising. withdrawing the lens a bit would have fit the bird in the frame, but then i guess that would not have created the impact these masterpieces bring. ELY-Gant shots all of them!
congrats on these captures ely!
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 23, 2010 11:07:56 GMT
wow. Can't get any better than this! I agree sir, had the feet been included in the picture it would have been perfect. But that surreal background is absolutely stunning! Nit - am not sure if it is lens flare or a speck of dust, but I see a small artifact near your signature. I can see it also in the first version. A small white circle. Thank you Edu for your appreciation and for calling my attention to the dust. I will check if its on the lens if not I will have to bring it to Canon for cleaning. |
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Dec 23, 2010 11:11:14 GMT
wow! this should really be close ely! and i'm sure surprising. withdrawing the lens a bit would have fit the bird in the frame, but then i guess that would not have created the impact these masterpieces bring. ELY-Gant shots all of them! congrats on these captures ely! Thank you Gabs. There was room for me to move back but than I would not be able to see the bird as I was on the edge of an elevated place. He was just too close. I really like this picture because of the unusual background and the result of the picture being blue, red, and white. |
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