Spoonbill Incoming!
Earlier today I was watching our surprise spoonbill visitor feeding in the salt marsh during low tide. At one point he decided to jump off and hop over to a nearby oyster bed to take care of business. This sent some poor unfortunate willet running away in a panic when he looked up and realized this huge pink thing was heading right for him!
After landing, spoonie seemed quite pleased with himself and appeared to get a laugh out of sending off the little shore bird.
Phil Lanoue Photography 
Great character!
You just have to love these big pink goofballs!
I just have to see one in person 😦
They stop traffic around here even, seriously.
Brilliant!
Thanks glad you enjoyed these!
Sembra proprio che rida soddisfatta 😀
Splendidi scatti Phil. Ciao, Pat
Lui è un felice rosa uccello! 🙂
Wundervolles Gefieder, praktischer Schnabel 🙂
LG Mathilda ♥
Er ist sehr bunt und lustig zu beobachten!
Nice shots. I have got to make time to get out to HBSP and see these guys.
We have just this one right now and he shouldn’t even be here until summer. How long he will stick around is anybody’s guess but I hope he is in for the season and then friends show up, that would be great!
Ah, Phil, it’s a bit of a Cranky act, don’t you think? That little Willet was right to skedaddle – you’re right, by the looks of it he’d have been ploughed down! Is there a spoony text book we can refer to to try to work out why he’s up there with you, all alone, so far ahead of time?
I can only imagine what a big pink thing with wings all stretched out must look like to a little willet.
This was a weird winter and I knew things would be all of out whack with some species still here that should be gone for the season and others that should have arrived are still not here. Why this bird decided to show up two months early I don’t know. But I do know he is very comfortable here and knows the area well. He has to be a returnee from another year.
Ah, so it’s not just this particular spoonie who’s a bit out of kilter with the norm? Well, lets hope he attracts lots more pink friends like last year.
Even the alligators are not acting *right*. Their season was all thrown off too. Lots of spring wind. They don’t like wind.
Hopefully we get more pink friends in but if they show up in summer as normal I’m ok with that.
I don’t know why, but when I see one of the waders coming in with their wings in the position of image the first it reminds me of the crocs in Fantasia. Probably just my warped sense of humor.
Ha! That’s too funny Steve! Excellent!
What a pretty bird, never saw one like that.
This one is particularly colorful and attractive! Thanks for checking these out.
What a great bird!! Love the pink!! Great capture
Oh well you have to love a big goofy pink bird! 🙂
FANTASTIC!
Thank much, appreciate it!
🙂
Just Beautiful!
He is a good looking bird for sure.
He does look like he had a good laugh. What great action, Phil. Fun post.
He is a goofy bird, thanks for looking!
Hahaha. Yes old Spoonie does look as though he’s having a good laugh, Phil. He is absolutely spectacular though, and I’m sure he would be delighted with your pics which show his shocking pink plumage off to the greatest advantage ever. 🙂
He can be a bit of a show off at times and I believe he is quite impressed with himself as well.
Sort of like the alligators. 🙂
Is it just the male of the species that like to show off? 😕
Spoonbills are another species like egrets and herons that you can’t tell gender just by looking at them.
I call him Mr. Cranky because it seems to fit, same as “Mr. A.”
I’m fine with that. 🙂
Will I ever stop learning from you, Phil? Apart from the rather spectacular pics, I had not heard of a willet, so looked it up. It seems our closest relation is the sandpiper. Information as well as enjoyment! Thank you!
We are overrun with willets around here Maggie, they are squeaky little birds too!
Wow, they are beautiful, when I lived in Florida I never saw one (if they are in Florida) and never saw a Flamingo either, and wondered if they really existed, their color of pink is so beautiful great pictures, and what wild life and birds all in this one marsh? or are there several you go to? I have a sort of marsh near me but it looks like a mudhole, but then again, its near Canada, not very tropical…it was a waterfall of sorts in the winter, but now just looks like a marsh of sorts, i never seen any wild life near it though….could not blame them!!!!…your pictures just want me to move back south more and more…beautiful pictures and beautiful wildlife.!!!
All the birds and alligators I post here are all from the same marsh area. It’s also right on the beach so we get lots of diverse wildlife all in one convenient location.
Thanks much for your kind comments!
(Laughing….) Mr. Spoonbill was looking right at the poor little guy! I don’t blame him for fleeing. Really enjoy the spoonbills – such personalities.
That little guy seemed to be running for his life and I don’t blame him. To see that big pink bird coming at you had to be a bit frightening.
The spoonbills never fail to entertain!
Yeah, I see he was laughing of ending off the little shore bird. 🙂 Another fantastic series. Thank you, Phil!
I’m so happy you enjoyed these Amy!
Right. That’s it. I have got to go to where there are spoonbills. With a camera. They are very rare on Abaco (I’ve seen one, at a distance), but I know there are some around Nassau… RH
These guys will stop traffic whenever they are around. Of course most people initially think they are seeing a flamingo.
Wonderful, Phil!!
I love it ~~ Greetings ~~ Jussara
I’m really glad you enjoyed this, thanks!
🙂 🙂
what a great catch up Phil some great captures which merge photojournalism nature and humour