Last year it was uncommon or absent, but since the end of January its numbers have increased markedly. It is now frequently seen at dams and swamps. 

It is usually seen singly, but two or three or more may be present at a wetland where they take very little notice of each other, unlike obvious pairs of the smaller white-faced heron.

Like the more common white-faced heron, this one flies in a stately manner with its neck drawn up on its front, and long legs trailing behind. On the leading edge of its wings are small but distinct white marks, noticeable in flight. The wingspan is just over 1.5 metres.

Where have the white-necked herons been for the last several months? They left almost the entire state with numerous other waterbirds last spring and perhaps went into flooded places in inland NSW or beyond.

Conditions there are presumably less suitable for them, while things are suiting them here. Certainly, there has been a large frog population in this district suitable for such birds, which also eat aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates such as water snails, mudeyes, yabbies and grasshoppers.

Movements across its wide range are irregular. As an example, more reports are normally received in Victoria from August to January, but this season they have been absent in this period. In a swampy situation the white-necked heron can be hidden by rushes and can be difficult to tell from the egrets, which also have white necks.

The black bill of the heron distinguishes it from the yellow-billed egrets when only white necks can be seen.

An uncommon bird in the Ballarat region is the intermediate egret, a large, all-white wading bird. Two of these were recently seen in a swamp near Clunes, along with numerous white-necked herons, straw-necked ibises and white ibises.

The intermediate egret is an irregular visitor to the Ballarat region, usually seen several years apart. Its name refers to its size, being larger than the little egret and smaller than the great egret. It was once known as the plumed egret.

The most numerous of our small skinks is the garden skink, usually common anywhere there is garden mulch or some sort of ground-covering material.

In an open bushland situation I noticed at least one skink in every two square metres where leaf litter was present. Many of them remained hidden until a close inspection was made.