ROYAL SPOONBILLS

Old habits die hard and " I must go down to the sea again " and I did!
I was very surprised to see a little flock of 7 Spoonbills as I thought they had taken off to the west Coast of the South Island to join the White Herons (kotuku) breeding there.

One of these birds pictured has the tell-tale signs of breeding on its plumage so it's got me a bit puzzled? The hope has been that we could get them to breed on this side of the " great divide " in other words breed at the ChCh Estuary, but this doesnt seem to have happened - However I'm wondering if something might be going on in the breeding arena with this birds plumage ??

Probably only interesting for the ornathologists amongst us ??

rgds pooba.