Flight Of The Spoonbills

Another blip from the shores of Lake Ellesmere/Te Waihora today, at my favourite spot at Stony Point, between Kaituna and Prices Valleys.

I was on my way back from the Birdlings Flat transfer station where I decided to go for a wander along the rail trail and see what was happening. The lake level has dropped significantly over the last few days, and the margins along the old railway embankment are now dry, allowing me to get right down to the lake shore without waders. As I emerged from the long grass, the Royal Spoonbills I had been watching got spooked (by the usual panicked cries of Pied Stilts) and took off. Luckily, I was ready for their escape, and was able to grab this shot as they circled the lake shallows.