Spoonbills at Walmsley sanctuary February 2021

 

A single spoonbill turned up on the Camel estuary recently and has now been joined by a second bird.

I always wonder how they find each other when there can't be that many of them flying around the area.

They seem to be spending time feeding in the open estuary at low tide and then returning to roost and bathe back in the sanctuary. Very little seems to disturb them when the wildfowl all around them react to every small movement.

The ducks and waders go crazy if a buzzard takes off from a nearby branch or a peregrine passes at altitude but the spoonbills keep their heads down and hop around on one leg!

I managed to grab a few shots as they flew back into the reserve  and proceeded to bathe and preen for just a few minutes before adopting their normal "boring" pose!