One of life-long ambitions in birding is to have a close up encounter with a Spoonbill. I have always been fascinated about Spoonbill's ever since I can remember when I saw drawings & images in my birds books.They really are extraordinary birds with some unusual plumage features and odd feeding behaviours that really make them stand out from the local Herons and Egrets. The long "Spoon-shaped bill is used in a sweeping action to filter through mud in estuary channels searching for small fish, shrimps and crustaceans.
The Spoonbill is a recent colonist species to the UK, originally found around the Mediterranean right into Africa where it can be found in large numbers on vast wetland habitats. Here in the U, Spoonbills have started breeding in Norfolk successfully in recent years. During the winter months they are regularly seen in South Dorset around Poole Harbour, Middlebere, Arne and Brownsea Island. Last year was a record count of Spoonbill's with over 60+ birds wintering in the Poole Harbour area.
I have on many occasions while birding Dorset, have searched far and wide to see a Spoonbill at close quarters and feeding. I have seen them at Arne on the Shipstal Point roost (which are quite distant) and 2 birds earlier this year out at Hole's Bay. Nothing prepared me for this encounter I had at Lodmoor. Hannah and I were birding the Weymouth area last week and decided to have a quick look at Lodmoor. Lodmoor is a great birding location which a variety of mixed habitats from reedbed, saltmarsh, lagoons, mudflat, freshwater channels and dense vegetation...Perfect feeding habitat for a Spoonbill or two,
I quickly walked down to the first viewing area near the car park, scanned with my bins and BOOM straight in front of me...... 2 feeding Spoonbill's about 40ft away from the path edge. I ran back to my car, grabbed my camera gear!!! We both ran down where we had very prolonged views of 2 adult Spoonbills feeding right in front of us both. It was an incredible experience. The off chance having Spoonbills right in the open, NOT roosting, NOT distant was too amazing to believe. A few local birders were onsite too, but were not too interested in the Spoonbills and carried on birding.
We had great views of the extraordinary sweeping head feeding action and plenty of views of them catching a wide variety of food from tiny shrimps to a sizeable flatfish!! The Spoonbills continued feeding quite close to use, until when a Marsh Harrier flew low over-head. Both birds took off and landed out in the centre of the reserve out of view.
A great day and one of my birding highlights of the year so far!!! Now onto my next birding moment I want to see and that is a Bluethroat....Hopefully see or find my own one this Spring. Finger's crossed.
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| Posing nicely for the camera |
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| captured moment about to swallow small fish |
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| Check out that Spoon!! Magnificent birds |
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