Bird Watching or Twitching in Andalucia Southern Spain
January 2004, Spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia
Spoonbills are mostly white like an egret but with bigger, fatter bodies and of course, those flattened, spoon-shaped bills. Feeding birds swing their heads, sweeping their bills from side to side through the water. Juveniles have paler bills and black wing tips. In flight the neck and legs are out-stretched but held below the level of the body. Characteristically they feed together in a tight group, in constant motion, swishing their broad black bills from side to side, filtering the water for small fish and aquatic animals. The Spoonbill breeds in reedbeds or waterside trees beside shallow lakes, marshes and fishponds. It winters on marshes and estuaries.
On Monday 8th December 2003 on the Marismas del Palmones I spotted a small group of large white waders that I originally thought were Egrets. When I got closer I identified them as rare winter visitors, Spoonbills. I saw three, possibly four of these distinctive birds. Julie Evans