an unlikely pair

of water birds at the river this afternoon.

The little one is a banded stilt and the white one is an egret, but I've never seen one with the turquoise/blue face bit before!!

I have googled until I can google no more, and the only solution I have is that he is a boy and is wearing the blue makeup to attract a female.
Someone please tell me if this is true! There are so many of you twitchers in blipland I am sure someone can educate me :)

Edit Thank you to DonnaWanna and her link. Definitely the mating plumage of the Great Egret! What a great bunch you are - especially Donna ;)