Earth Changes

Wrong place, wrong time: Trio of great white egrets make rare visit to Newfoundland, Canada

The Southern Gazette
Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:31 UTC

Some rare feathered visitors have caught the attention of bird enthusiasts on the Burin Peninsula in recent days.

Three great egrets have been reported in the Lewin's Cove area.

Egret visits are not unheard of in Newfoundland but they are rare - perhaps just a few each spring and fall, according to Bruce Mactavish, an environmental consultant and avid birdwatcher.

Great egrets are members of the heron family and are known for their all-white plumage.

Great white egret

Comment: See also this recent report from further south on the Canadian east coast : Wrong place, wrong time: Tricoloured heron and great white egret turn up in Nova Scotia, Canada

Reader Comments

Rowan Cocoan · 2018-03-29T02:24:46Z

Those are 'Common' or "American' Egrets.

When I grew up (watching, at times, the now extinct 'Dusky SeaSide Sparrow') my father led our local Audubon Society. Some cool stories from youth, there.

Anyway, back then, there was/still is a 'Great White Heron" or "Great White Egret' which was exclusive to S. Florida, and it was thought to be a separate species. It has turned out that GWH/GWE's are simply a permanent 'white morph' of the Great Blue Heron. (GBH).

But GWE/GWH (GBH, White Morphs) have Green legs; and dark bills. Orange bills and black legs? Those are significantly smaller and are what are known as "Common' or American Egrets.' That's what the picture shows.

Just FYI, but anyone should be able to figure that out and ... oh f*** it.

R.C,.

system · 2018-03-29T02:39:13Z

Rowan Cocoan I don't go and research on everything I come across that I don't know much about. Your 2 bits were interesting right up to the end and... oh f*** it.

treesparrow · 2018-03-29T11:29:44Z

Rowan Cocoan Factually incorrect, fwiw.

Great egret (or great white egret in Eurasia - it's not exclusively found in America!) is Ardea alba with yellow bill and black legs as shown. [Link]

Great blue heron is Ardea herodias while the white morph is classified as Ardea herodias occidentalis with yellow bill and pale legs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_blue_heron

Therefore they are two different species.

Rowan Cocoan · 2018-03-29T17:04:58Z

treesparrow Are you aware of Great White Herons one will see in the Florida Keys? Read the rest infra.

You're incorrectly assuming that the bird is a Eurasian Subspecies, which it isn't and which WOULD be a/THE Big Story if that were correct, but it's not. See infra.

R.C.

Rowan Cocoan · 2018-03-29T17:35:26Z

treesparrow A final point.

( Above is my first reply to treesparrow, below is my second, this is my third, (and final), and same should be read in that order.)

Your VERY OWN SECOND/LATTER LINK STATES:

"The Old World population is often referred to as the "great white egret". This species is sometimes confused (Sound familiar, TS? RC) with the great white heron of the Caribbean, which is a white morph of the closely related great blue heron."

R.C.

Rowan Cocoan · 2018-03-29T17:20:39Z

I am dealing with both articles in one place:

#1 (At SOTT) : Wrong Place Tri Colour

Wrong place, wrong time: Tricoloured heron and great white egret turn up in Nova Scotia, Canada

Birders in Nova Scotia are flocking to Sambro Head, N.S., after a sighting of two rare birds in a single marsh. On Saturday, Diane LeBlanc left her home in Portuguese Cove to make her usual rounds...

And,

#1 (At SOTT) Wrong Place...Trio;

Wrong place, wrong time: Trio of great white egrets make rare visit to Newfoundland, Canada

Some rare feathered visitors have caught the attention of bird enthusiasts on the Burin Peninsula in recent days. Three great egrets have been reported in the Lewin's Cove area. Egret visits are...

Tree Sparrow: Sorry, but You have your facts wrong.

Frankly your 'point' is nit picking irrelevant BS designed to make folks like you feel important which has ‘inspired’ both:

1) your comment; and,

2) which caused me to stop before I wrote an encyclopaedia that no one would ever read. Instead, just for you, I wrote: “‘F*** it.”

You are speaking of a Eurasian Sub species, of a worldwide species true? (Check your link at Wee Wee Pee Dia.)The article is NOT!

The follow up article “Trio” shows the range of a common or American Egret, right? Also, why would the Eurasian species also hang out with an American species? (I.e., the Tricolor heron, f/k/a, Louisiana Heron.)

A EurAsian Species in N. America? Sure, there would be a REALLY big story, but it's not! The article are about a North American species being far far north from normal at this time of year, and that's it.

Your point seems to be that you are claiming that this bird/birds are so far out of place because they're a Eurasian Subspecies? Don't you think that THAT would be the BIG story if it were the case and that they would show the normal locations for that species - and not for the Common Egret, if they thought it was that Eurasian Subspecies?

Finally, the American (“New World” / W. Hemisphere) Subspecies, is ALSO called in your link, the “Common Egret” as I noted. Nuff said.

R.C.

treesparrow · 2018-03-29T20:51:16Z

Rowan Cocoan Calm down. I'm not nit picking as you call it - but being precise. Go through the links provided again and carefully read the info there and also check and compare the full scientific (latin) names of both species to avoid confusion - this why they have them! (and also check the distribution maps and photos).

At the risk of repeating what's clearly laid out at the links provided.

The Great Egret (Great white egret) is Ardea alba and has 4 races across the world.

The white form/subspecies of the of Great blue heron ( Ardea herodias) is now classified as Ardea herodias occidentalis. It was at one time regarded as a separate species. Both forms are found in North America but not in the Old World.

I don't think I can be any clearer.

BTW your quote -

"You're incorrectly assuming that the bird is a Eurasian Subspecies"

I made no such assumption

Your whole response is confusing and confused.

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Earth Changes

Wrong place, wrong time: Trio of great white egrets make rare visit to Newfoundland, Canada

Reader Comments

Wrong place, wrong time: Tricoloured heron and great white egret turn up in Nova Scotia, Canada

Wrong place, wrong time: Trio of great white egrets make rare visit to Newfoundland, Canada

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