royal spoonbill

Royal Spoonbill

Royal Spoonbill

Royal Spoonbill shouting out that he is The Boss.

Out in the middle of the water was a whole collection of birds on a wee strip of mud. This included the main star for me Caspian Tern, along with Royal Spoonbill, Pied Stilt and Grey Teal.

A pair of spoonbills were on the same lake as we'd seen the other one some days before. This guy, though, seems to be in fine breeding plumage, doesn't he. It was a few weeks before I managed to see his cousing the Yellow-billed!

Feeding companionably with the egret was this Royal Spoonbill. The only one of this family I've seen for about 20 years! The previous one was a very brief fly-past, and distant, at Pagham Harbour around 20 years ago. So you can imagine my feelings on seeing this lovely spoonie.

to the Saturday Puzzle I posted a few hours before midnight last night. Somebody counted only three species: white birds, black birds, and black-and-white birds. There were at least three species of white birds: Great Egrets, Intermediate Egrets, and Royal Spoonbills (those last two almost...

Looking very grand with its breeding feathers.

Looking very grand with its breeding feathers.

Lovely to see them back for the winter, this one is showing itself well.

Not sure why these males are doing here at Napier, they should be at their colony in the South Island.

These birds should be leaving the area for their breeding colony soon.

This one is enjoying a splash.

This photo is for Peterday, showing the under wing white feathers.

Never realised they had quite so much yellow under the wing!

Looking a bit ruffled toe!!!

I have discovered that during storms on the coast, the Spoonbills move into this sheltered lagoon. Give me heaps of chances to photograph them.