Yellow-billed Spoonbills should not frequent round Broome, however we do observe them yearly or two on the ephemeral lakes throughout the dry months. The entire birds are making the most of the final remaining water and meals right now of yr. Royal Spoonbills are extra frequent they usually prefer to frequent the Poo Ponds and the tidal flats shut by in addition to the ephemeral lake techniques.
It was no shock final weekend to seek out sixteen Royal Spoonbills feeding at one of many native lakes. We have been shocked to see the Yellow-billed Spoonbill, although. Our final encounter with Yellow-billed Spoonbills this yr was on the Fortescue River. That was a particular encounter, as a result of we had stumbled throughout a breeding colony. The nests have been excessive up within the bushes in the course of the river they usually have been constructed with some very massive sticks.
Every part seems completely regular within the header photograph. There are two Spoonbills feeding away. One Royal Spoonbill and one Yellow-billed Spoonbill. I took a number of images of them feeding collectively after which we seen that the Yellow-billed Spoonbill had a international object in its breast. It seems to be a stick. We don’t know how lengthy this international object has been caught on this specific hen, however it was in a position to feed and fly with none apparent issues.
Royal Spoonbill and Yellow-billed Spoonbill feeding
When the Yellow-billed Spoonbill moved away from the Royal Spoonbill I used to be in a position to take some nearer images of the hen. It actually does look like a stick of some type that’s caught in its breast. Possibly it occurred within the nest, however it’s one thing that we’re unlikely to ever know for positive.
Yellow-billed Spoonbill with a international object in its breast
After we returned residence we rang the Broome Fowl Observatory to ask them to maintain a watch out for it in the event that they have been in the identical location sooner or later. They’ve since noticed it this week on the identical location. It seems to have the ability to feed and fly with out subject and we are going to all proceed to watch it over coming weeks if attainable. The international object might dislodge at some stage and the hen will simply look utterly regular.
In 2010 I wrote of a Pink Knot that had a bivalve clamped onto its foot. Birds do have unlucky incidents typically.
