SPOONBILL Platalea regia

I was down the wetlands today stalking a couple of Royal Spoonbill when 20 of them flew by in the distance. They rather took me by surprise but shouldnt have as 30 of them came in about the same time last year. Its AUTUMN in the southern hemisphere alright !!! Due to my surprise and in-attention the two I was stalking flew off and I missed the lot of them !!Ya getting ancient poo ! pay attention!!

The sponbills are doing well around Canterbury and 300 have been seen
( as reported in the Press ) and are supposed to be now breeding at L.Ellesmere.

this one is a youngster as it has dark tips on the ends of its flight feathers.
the lighting was against me a bit so I made it a Mono.
rgds poo