White-necked Heron is not pacific

The overt purpose of this post is to record the first White-necked Heron I have seen in this area for some time.  Like many other waterbirds they all headed off to the soggy inland in 2010.  They have been reported recently from Kelly's Swamp in Jerrabombera Wetlands and by some other observers in Carwoola.

This bird was visible from Woolcara Lane standing in a small dam between the road and Woolcara Homestead.

After a short period of peaceful posing it flew from the dam to the adjacent pasture giving a good look at its plumage.

My assessment, from reading the description of plumages in HANZAB, is that this bird is at least thinking about breeding.  The head and neck appear white, the dots down the neck are sparse (see first image)  while the maroon scapular  plumes are only apparent in the third image.  Some of the birds recently reported from Kelly's Swamp have been described as in breeding plumage.

The timing of breeding reported in HANZAB is consistent with the birds being in the anticipatory phase at this time.

My covert reason for this post was that the taxonomic pun embedded in the title of the post was impossible to pass up.  The species used to be known as Pacific Heron and is still (until the taxonomists weave the next edition of their magic) scientifically referred to as Ardea pacifica).