Spoonbills Did Arrive But…
Yesterday afternoon we had four roseate spoonbills show up in the marsh pond right on time! Last year on June 29 five showed up and then yesterday on June 29, we had these four arrive exactly right on the same day.
The spoonies stayed in a far back corner of the pond until early evening when they all took off at once and did one huge long circle around the entire marsh area. I was only able to get these flight shots from a considerable distance because once they settled down it was again at the far back edge of the pond and also too far away for photos.
The bad news is that they could not be found anywhere in the marsh area this morning or early afternoon so far, and it’s possible they were just passing through. I will continue to check in hopes that they or some of their friends return and hopefully stay through the summer.
Phil Lanoue Photography 
Oh, Phil, what beautiful colours! What glorious birds.
Oh thanks, but I was quite upset they never came in close for any good photo ops and then it appears they are gone already by this morning. Of course it is a long summer and I expect that if not this group, then others will arrive and put on their usual show!
Gorgeous birds and photos! How cool they arrived exactly one year later?!
It is quite amazing they arrived exactly to the day! I’m just bummed because I got skunked on pics (other these ones from a mile away) yesterday and so far looks like they are gone already. Big pink goofs.
Dang! These must be ladies – trying to keep you on your toes!
They are true divas and I believe they think quite highly of themselves. More then the gators even.
I hope so too Phil!
I don’t like that they did not stick around, and we are hoping they or some friends do arrive and stay.
This has been a very odd year though so far, everything is out of whack.
I am surprised to learn that spoonies don’t return to your area until the end of June. The spoonies at High Island, TX have babies that are well along towards leaving the nest. I recognise that there is a bit of a latitude difference but not that much. When do they leave for the year?
We used to never have any here at all until about 2009 when a group of mostly juvies arrived and stayed until late November.
Last year some stayed until mid November.
Things are quite a bit different here then in south florida or the gulf area. More then you would think I guess. We had a super cold winter this year.
I hope they, or another group, returns and stays the summer.
I love your close ups of the spoonies, and sure hope to see Mr. Grumpy (or a good substitute) throughout the season. Our weather has been so awful, all last winter and up until now, with no rain, continued drought, etc., the trees and plants are suffering — and so is the urban wildlife we used to see. Sure do hope these spoonies show up again!
I was hoping to see our dysfunctional grumpy friend again as well. I have been looking forward to the close encounters and non stop action we were treated to last summer. It could still happen.
We did have an awful winter and things are still not quite right still now.
I’ve got my fingers crossed! 🙂
I’m going over in a little while to check out the salt marsh at low tide which is their favorite time to feed, and hope they show. So far though from the reports I’m receiving, there have been no sightings at all today.
I sure do hope they show! Hang in there!
I’m also hoping it won’t be too hot out there this evening. It was brutal today.
If you want to check out a special spoonie, get on facebook and look for “Birds of Texas”. Hao Vo uploaded a good one today from the Smith Oaks Rookery on High Island. I’ll bet you don’t have a spoonie like that in the Carolinas.
I don’t have facebook but I’ll try to find it, thanks.
Give this link a try. It may let you in.
Ha! That opened fine, excellent shot.
Reminds me a bit of the rare Roseate Snowbill I photographed last August.
Your Roseate Spoonbill is excellent. It’s a well blended hybrid of the two species!
The “down payment” sightings are fun. Hope there’s more. That backlighting looks great. Maybe you need a boat. The gators would love the company.
Those big pink goofballs were once again nowhere to be seen this morning, so looks like they left the area for sure. Hopefully they, or some of their friends come in soon and stay for a while.
We have long thought that an amusement park old style swan boat would be perfect for gliding around in the marsh thoroughly confusing the gators.
What a beautiful sight!!!! Thanks soooo much for posting your beautiful photos! Nobody does it better!
Well I greatly appreciate the kind words, thanks!
Oh dear, is that a bad sign do you think? A summer without the spoonies would loose lots of its colour and allure … 🙂
Everything is out of whack so far this season. That the spoonies arrived on time gave us hope, but them quickly leaving has dashed those hopes somewhat. It is early though and all kinds of wonderful things could still happen. 🙂
Hopefully the make a u-turn and and join the party of herons, egrets and gators. It would be nice seeing them fly in a group though.
My fondest hope is that I’m standing there one day soon and a nice size group of the big pink guys come flying in right at me and I get cool pics! Hey I can dream right?!? 🙂
I think we all dream of those moments. My post yesterday was saying I am always caught off guard. Need a few more set of eyes. But you seem to have that knack, wildlife always performs for you. I just love it!
My head is constantly on a swivel out there staying alert for incoming flyers or the occasional alligator that decides it wants to take a walk up out of the marsh to come over and say hello.
Getting caught off guard around gators would teach me a thing or two. Glad none here!
One time I just got the feeling I should look behind me, I never heard anything, just go a feeling. Turned out an eight foot alligator had climbed up out of the marsh and was walking right toward me and was only a few feet from me.
I jumped a bit then got out of his way and he just calmly walked right on by. Glad I didn’t have to find what it would be like to have a huge gator shove me out of his way.
You would think a big animal like that would make a racket busting up through some brush but it never made a sound.
It knows who is in charge and who will get out of the way. As long as you are vertical you don’t fit its prey profile. That said, I wouldn’t push it and tempt fate.
Niceshots, Phil. I hope they were passing through on their way down to Florida. 🙂
I think it is more likely they came up from Florida. Why they did not feel like staying around in their usual spots here remains a mystery, but we have lots of summer to go and I expect (hope) further pink visitors soon. 🙂
Wow, its really something how they just know when to come there, maybe they are on there way to Florida, beautiful colors, never saw them in person though when I did live in Florida…or flamingos for that matter.
They were last seen heading north and we assume they came up here from Florida or one of the gulf regions down there.
Lots of summer still to come so hopefully we get more pink visitors soon! 🙂
Great to see them again! I do hope they stick around, Phil!
Great colors and lighting effects in both images. I’ve never seen spoonbils – beautiful birds. I hope you get another shot at them, for my benefit as well as yours!
Beautiful photos of them in flight.
I have been wondering about your spoonbills the past few weeks, Phil. Maybe they are nesting still now?