View allAll Photos Tagged Intermediate
This medium-sized heron in the genus Egretta or Mesophoyx is a resident breeder from east Africa across the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia and Australia. Size-wise this Egret sits between the Great Egret and the smaller white Egrets like the Little Egret and Cattle Egret.
Most of the intermediate signals are not easily accessible east of Mitchell versus west. Here at MP91.8, a short walk yields a great view. W035 is the only move to pass these signals on this day.
Some shiny new signal equipment is active along the CN Sprague Subdivision's Minnesota section, such as this intermediate signal north of Warroad at Birch Drive heading into Warroad Estates. Got to appreciate the authentic Canadian railroad details along the Sprague's 40-some mile route through Roseau and Lake of the Woods Counties like the yellow L, DV, and R plaques and three-headed signals. A hot intermodal train has just entered the U.S. and getting up to speed for a quick journey under Lake of the Woods. CN 8003 leads the charge east and has a clear route through the Swift, Blueberry, and Graceton sidings back into Canada at Baudette, USA - Rainy River, Canada
My first shot of the bird. Also called the Median Egret, Smaller Egret, or Yellow-billed Egret. It is a medium-sized Heron that is a resident breeder from east Africa across the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia and Australia. The Intermediate Egret stalks its prey methodically in shallow coastal or fresh water, including flooded fields. It eats fish, frogs, crustaceans and insects.
The intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia) is a medium-sized white heron with a relatively short yellow or bicolored bill and, in breeding, exceptionally long back plumes.
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Intermediate egret
Scientific Name: Ardea intermedia
Description: The plumage of the Intermediate Egret is wholly white. During the breeding season, adults have long filamentous plumes emerging from the scapulars, and dense plumes from the breast. The bare parts vary with the stage of the breeding cycle: during courtship the bill is deep pink to bright red with a yellow tip and green base, the lores are bright green, the eyes red and the legs ruby red; when laying, the bill is dull red, the lores are dull, pale green, and the eye is yellow. By the time of hatching, the bill is dull orange-yellow, the lores are yellow or green-yellow, the eye is yellow and the upper portion of the leg yellow with the lower portion grey-black. During non-breeding season, they lose their plumes, the bill turns orange-yellow, the lores are green-yellow or yellow, the eyes are horn-coloured and the upper portions of the legs vary, with the lower portion black. Juveniles appear like non-breeding adults.
Similar Species: The Intermediate Egret is similar to Australiaâs other all-white egrets. The Little Egret is distinguished by its long, black bill. The Great Egret is distinguished by its proportionally longer neck and flat-headed appearance and has a distinct gape that extends well behind the eye. Cattle Egrets are much shorter and dumpier with a stouter bill.
Location: Within Australia, the Intermediate Egret can be found at wetlands throughout the northern third of the continent as well as the eastern third. They are generally absent from Tasmania.
Habitat: Mostly a denizen of the shallows in terrestrial wetlands, the Intermediate Egret prefers freshwater swamps, billabongs, floodplains and wet grasslands with dense aquatic vegetation, and is only occasionally seen in estuarine or intertidal habitats.
Feeding: Aquatic animals, principally fish and frogs, are the main food of the Intermediate Egret. They are usually hunted by standing and waiting, then stabbing at the prey with its dagger-like beak.
Breeding: Intermediate Egrets build a shallow platform of interwoven sticks, placed on a horizontal branch in a tree that is usually standing in water. They generally lay three or four pale-green eggs which are incubated by both sexes. The nestlings are fed by both parents, who regurgitate food, either into the nest or directly into the beak of the young bird.
(Source: birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/intermediate-egret)
© Chris Burns 2020
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Not long after the afternoon sun broke free from the clouds that had lingered over the area for most of the day, Q39331 highballs west through the intermediates at QD117 with a pair of CP 60s in charge and three new UP deliveries trailing.
It wasn't a particularly cheap experience but I decided that I couldn't pass the cable car that takes people from the Southern Ridges across to Sentosa Island. It was a remarkable trip!
The intermediate station is in the top of the building that houses a large shopping centre. I believe this is unique anywhere in the world
Intermediate Bandy-bandy (Vermicella intermedia)
First time I've ever seen one of these guys in the wild, pretty happy I got to see it so close to home!
These snakes twist themselves into vertical loops when threatened, this specimen didn't do it quite as spectacularly as others, but you can see the some some parts raised off the ground to form some shallow loops.
Also Bandy-bandy snakes spend most of their life underground and feed almost exclusively on blind snakes.