We spent an hour at the airport lake having another look at the Herons and Whistling-ducks at the dead tree end of the airport lake. It was nice to have a bit more time trying to get some photos of some of the species present.
Australasian Grebe: These Grebes caused some discussion over their identification, as Dabchicks (Little Grebe) also occur in Eastern Indonesia. The white eye is diagnostic for Australasian Grebe with Dabchick have a dark red-brown eye
Australasian Grebe: Juvenile or Immature. This is the nominate novaehollandiae subspecies which occurs in the Tanimbar Islands, New Guinea, Australia & New Zealand. Other subspecies occur in Wallacea, the Solomons & New Caledonia
Intermediate Egret: It would be easy to write this Egret off as a Great White Egret in flight. But a closer inspection of the bill and the gape, confirms it is actually the smaller Intermediate Egret
Intermediate Egret: This is the plumifera subspecies which occurs from Eastern Indonesia to New Guinea & Australia. Other subspecies occur from Japan to India & Sub-Saharan Africa
Intermediate Egret: Note, the shorter, proportionally thicker bill and the gape line which doesn't extend behind the eye
Great White Egret: A headshot for comparison purposes taken in Brands Bay. Note, the longer, proportionally thinner bill and the gape line which extends behind the eye (16 Sep 14)
Pied Herons: They are at the most North Westerly end of their range in Eastern Indonesia. The main range is New Guinea & Australia
Pied Herons with an Intermediate Egret: This shows how small these Cattle Egret sized Pied Herons are. Note, again the Intermediate Egret's bill shape & gape line
Wandering Whistling-ducks
Wandering Whistling-ducks
Azure Kingfisher: This was the only Azure Kingfisher we saw on the Banda Sea cruise. Surprisingly, it managed to eat this large fish in the end
Whiskered Tern: The pale leading edge is one of the features that rules out this Tern being a White-winged Black Tern
It was now late morning and we headed back to the hotel for lunch.
