I’ve just returned from Cocos-Keeling and Christmas Island and seeing some fantastic vagrants including this probable Chinese Pond Heron. By some authorities, it is impossible to separate Chinese Pond Heron and Javan Pond Heron unless they are in full breeding plumage (which this bird isn’t). The darkish tips to the primaries could be an indicator as they seem to be more common in Chinese Pond Heron. For more images, search Barra Imaging for “chinese pond heron”.

Other birds seen on Cocos-Keeling were Yellow Bittern, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Oriental Cuckoo, Eurasian Teal, Watercock and Japanese Sparrowhawk. Seen on Christmas Island, two immature Malayan Night-herons, Pin-tailed Snipe, Java Sparrow, Cave Swiftlet, Peregrine Falcon, Black Bittern and also the endemic Christmas Island Fruit Bat.