(2^8) + 1

Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia, Lake Joondalup, Western Australia).  Photograph has been cropped.

After attempting (and failing) to twitch the White Wagtail at Lake Gwelup, Alan Collins and myself checked out Lake Joondalup for the Intermediate Egret that was reported there.  We found the bird relatively easily as it moved about on a large patch of weed/grass.  This takes my life list to 257!  Interestingly, in the last fortnight or so I have doubled the number of egret species I have seen (*).

* I had actually seen three egrets prior to adding the Cattle Egret and Intermediate Egret (I had forgotten about the Eastern Reef Egret).  Thanks Alan!

Recent Bird Sightings

Here are a few recent (and one not-so-recent) sightings:

• Eastern Cattle Egret (finally at Lake Richmond, I have been looking for one of these for a while);
• Broad-billed Sandpiper (in a flock of Red-necked Stint at Nairns);
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (a member of the long-established feral posse at Lake McLarty, not a very satisfying tick but a tick nonetheless);
• Red Knot at Nairns (have seen these before but this was a fantastic view alongside Great Knot);
• Gull-billed Tern at Karratha (seen a few years back but finally ID'd by photo).

The first four birds were seen on a Lake McLarty/Nairns area trip with Alan Collins and John Graff.  This takes my life list (Western Australia & Australia) to 256 species.  A nice, neat number for a nerd like me...