Just good friends

A white heron (kotuku - great egret) feeding with a royal spoonbill. The spoonbill is very muddy from feeding where the flooded river (see extra - as usual didn't know which one to put up!) is pouring into and out of the estuary into Pegasus Bay after the storm of the last few days.

The heron was definitely the boss and was watching that the spoonbill didn't take any liberties - the spoonbill seemed to be feeding behind the heron mainly as the heron stirred up the water.

Haven't seen a spoonbill in the canal before, but the heron is there often.