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TBOSG Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia
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Spoonbill is a regular spring and summer visitor in small numbers to the UK. Most records are from coastal East Anglia, with an exceptional 19 together at Minsmere in July 1996. Long-staying individuals could be found in winter in Poole Harbour, Taw Estuary in Devon and on the River Lynher in Cornwall. Viewable colonies can be seen on Texel (Holland), the Hortobagy-Halasto fishponds (Hungary) and Lake Manyas (Turkey) but feeding birds can be seen in small numbers at many other wetlands, mostly in southern or eastern Europe. The European population is estimated at between 2600 - 3200 pairs. |
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Earliest: February 15th 2004 at Northwick Warth. Latest: September 7th 2008 at Oldbury Power Station. Highest Count: Two on two dates in April at Severn Beach and Shepperdine. |
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There have been eight Spoonbill reported from S. Gloucestershire, they are; |
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2009: (2) |
Two juveniles were seen briefly in the evening at 19:15 on the shore at Shepperdine on April 12th. |
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Spoonbills at Shepperdine. April 2009. © Pete Hazelwood. |
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2008: (1) |
A presumed adult was seen at Oldbury Power Station at around 10:30 on September 6th and was watched flying across and up river. It circled and landed on Lagoon III where it was present for just 5 minutes before heading downriver. It was relocated flying southwest over Aust and then above the shoreline at Northwick Warth at around 11:00. |
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2006: (1) |
An adult was tracked down the coast on April 23rd. It was seen briefly at Oldbury Power Station then flew down river at 16:25. It was subsequently seen at Littleton Warth, Northwick Warth and finally over Severn Beach late in the afternoon. |
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2004: (1) |
An adult was seen briefly on February 15th at Northwick Warth. |
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Spoonbill at Northwick Warth. February 2004. © Paul Bowerman. |
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1998: (3) |
Two 1st summer birds were watched on April 18th roosting on the shingle Island before flying off up river from Severn Beach. This occurrence constitutes the first report of this species in S. Gloucestershire; A 1st summer was found on May 2nd, it was seen to fly over Northwick Warth and then disappeared inland. |
