ROYAL SPOONBILL, Platalea regia

"A Vagrant Australian" who managed to start breeding in NZ in about 1949 at Okarito on the West Coast of NZ. We are lucky enough to have a flock of about 20 in our Christchurch Estuary at the moment, wintering over. This one is a youngster. I know this as it does not have the yellow patch above its eye and the there is no rippling on its bill as is with old birds. Both of these things will develop in the next year or so. 
A nice encounter this morning with three of the youngsters who came within about 10 metres of me. They had seperated themselves from the main bunch and walked towards me showing little adult fear - obviously developed as time goes by.
rgds poo