Feb. 5, 2017 - Roseate Spoonbills

On our recent trip to Sanibel Island, Florida, I made several visits to Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. On the days that I went early enough, I was able to photograph Roseate Spoonbills. The wildlife drive opened at 7:00 AM and by about 8:30 they had all flown off to feed elsewhere. The red streak on this spoonbill’s wing, and its featherless head, indicate this is an adult.

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This is a juvenile Roseate Spoonbill, possibly in its second year. The red streak on its wing is just beginning to show and its head is only partially bare. Spoonbills are large (30 to 40 inches) wading birds. In the United States, they are found along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida.

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Here’s a good look at the distinctively-shaped bill. To feed, the spoonbill holds it in a slightly open position and swishes it back and forth in shallow muddy water. The bill is very sensitive and when it contacts something that might be edible, it snaps shut. In this photo, the bird is preening the tip of one wing. To do that with such a long bill, it must stretch its neck to one side and extend the wing out to the other side so it can reach.

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My reward for getting there early and waiting patiently was some very nice flight shots as the spoonbills went off to feed. In this photo, the background is the blue water of the bay.

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I like this background even better. The green trees and shrubs along the shore are reflected in the water.

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Here’s my favorite Roseate Spoonbill photo from the trip

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