Last month I saw my rarest bird yet! Two Spoonbills, sleeping on an island in the middle of the lagoon at Brownsea Island! I didn't get a good view of the beak, however one briefly preened itself. I was told that was one of the best view anyone had on them all week! YAY!
Good one Jake!
It's got to be one of the most spectacular British birds, don't you think? And possibly one of the sleepiest. Hopefully next time you'll see one feeding or in flight. I'd recommend catching them in summer too, as the adult breeding plumage is worth seeing.
Best wishes
James
I saw my first spoonbill on Sunday on the Taw estuary in Devon - well five of them actually, one a juvenile with a much paler bill. Was really thrilled, especially as they took my British list to 150 - quite a special bird for for that target number. (Incidentally, my number 100 was a tawny owl, also a special one for me). We saw the spoonbills feeding in the very far distance but then got good vieas of two flying across - much more like swans in flight than egrets, and finally had excellent views of them preening, between lengthly sleeping periods with their bills tucked out of sight. Even managed some rather blurry photos through the scope (it was rather windy and quite a bit of magnification was required, also was only hand-holding the camera to the scope eyepiece). Their bills are amazing!
Jampots