Cretan bird ID please (pretty please!)

Nod

Nod

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Nod (UK)
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Due to a sieve like memory, I had completely forgotten I had taken this grab back in June. Any chance of an ID on it please. We had been hearing what I think were Bitterns booming but this doesn't look quite drab enough to my (VERY inexpert!) eyes.

No need to point out the inadequacies of the shot - it was very much a grab and is a heavy crop from an 18-200 on a V1 so pushing way beyond the limits of the equipment.

If it helps, it was taken at a freshwater lake on Crete at roughly noon. The bird stood about 18" tall (at a guess).

View attachment 16663
 
Looks like some sort of heron. Nice colour on it.
 
Even my inexpert eye had guessed at that! I don't have a book on Cretan birds (yet) - might have to see what I can find in August.
 
Looks like a Little Bittern - (Ixobrychus minutes)

Head stripe, crown, should get darker and body generally gets more colourful and darker …. so it is probably a juvenile

certainly found around med and in Europe and sub Sahara Africa
 
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Chris Wilson said:
It's a lesser-spotted postcard bird!!

cheers, cw
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I thought we'd sent it to you! If I'd remembered for sure, I would have asked your expert opinion!

BillN_33 said:
Looks like a Little Bittern - (Ixobrychus minutes)

Head stripe, crown, should get darker …. so it is probably a juvenile

certainly found around med and in C & S Europe and south of Equator in Africa
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, Bill - certainly looks very similar to what a Google Image search throws up for I. minutes.
 
I'll have to shoot one and take the corpse to a museum!
 
Thanks for the ID, gents. We have seen Bitterns there and have certainly heard them, unless Squacco herons boom too!
 
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