[Gerry Hooper]

Took a quick shot of this Egret as it flew past me on the 27 feb on the river Exe near Turf.
Looks like aCattle Egret to me what do you think ?

[jacana]

Looks more like a Great White Egret to me, if that beak is yellow as it appears on my screen.

Good record!

[Bird Hard 2]

Gerry,
Your bird looks like a Little Egret. The bill is far too long for a Cattle Egret and the legs are far too short for a Great White Egret.
Compare with these flight shots:
Cattle Egret - http://www.flickr.com/photos/23437487@N00/6950438342/
Little Egret - http://www.flickr.com/photos/39953526@N08/4064037828/
Great White Egret - http://www.flickr.com/photos/allhart/3779118676/

[Jon Turner]

I'll be in the Little Egret camp too.

[Gerry Hooper]

Thanks for your comments folks, though I'm still not convinced it was a Little Egret.
The bill does look a bit long but it was very yellow.

[birdboybowley]

Looks like a Cattle to me - squat and bulky, legs and bill yellow on my screen

[Patboy]

I have to agree with you Gerry. Looks like a cattle egret.

[gerrywestdean]

I go for Little Egret; a have seen a few with yellowish beaks over the years.

[FoghornKinghorn]

I am wondering if a trick of light is to play here?

Its not a Cattle Egret as the bill is far too long, I would expect a Great White Egret to be larger overall in terms of body mass (they look long in flight), I would also expect to see much longer legs. If this bird had all dark bill and all dark legs would anyone question it as a Little Egret? Doubt it.

So it's a Little Egret that is either abnormal or its an effect of the camera.

Cheers,

[knotsbirder]

I'm thinking GW Egret on this one. The most important thing is how it looked in the field. I think the "squatness" is probably down to the angle of the shot and the way its been taken. If it was a lot bigger than Little Egrets you see, then it was probably Great White. If it wasn't, then its a Little Egret. It is definately not a Cattle Egret, however I would have no qualms about it being a Little.

Sam

[knotsbirder]

Also, would it be a problem to post the original? Would be easier to judge.

Sam

[Gerry Hooper]

Thanks for your input folks, sorry have deleted all other copies.
Will learn from this and make a point of properly identifying birds before I get the Camera out.
Looking back through other Little Egret Photos it's apparent there are a few with yellow looking bills.
Cheers

[Samuel Perfect]

Great White Egret for me, the bill is yellow (not clearly visible due to the dull lighting) and the feet are black (unlike the yellow feet of Little Egrets). Agree with Knotsbirder the "squatness" is down to the angle of the shot.

[rockfowl]

Originally Posted by Bird Hard 2

Gerry,
Your bird looks like a Little Egret. The bill is far too long for a Cattle Egret and the legs are far too short for a Great White Egret.

Agree

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Another one for little egret.

[BirdBoyBen]

Although it looks like a little, on my monitor is has a very strong, consistently yellow beak and yellowish legs. I have never seen a little with nearly this amount of yellow-though maybe I have just never seen this variation.