Intermediate Egret

I have a friend staying from Australia (that small island across the Tasman), who is very interested in all things in the wild outdoors. We used to go climbing and tramping together in Queenstown days.

We ventured around to the head of the estuary today, hoping to see a kotuku, and instead were treated to a sight of what is possibly an intermediate egret. We met an orthnithologist there who said that if it is indeed an intermediate egret it's very rare, and hasn't been seen around this area for a couple of hundred years! My friend has been researching everything he can get his hands on, ever since we came back home, and he's thinking that it's a small egret. I've sent photos to the ornithologist, and are waiting for his verdict!

The quality of the image isn't great! because the distance was huge. But it's worth it, because we have the bird! The egret is the white bird, and he/she is accompanied by two white faced herons.
Nikon D7100 on 1.3 crop, Nikon f4 70-200 with 1.4 TC