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The Birds Of South Gloucestershire          Spoonbill - platalea leucorodia

 

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.

 

There have been around sixteen Spoonbill reported from S. Gloucestershire;

 

2011: (c.8) HIGHEST COUNT 5

A flock of five, four juveniles and an adult, alighted briefly at New Passage on September 14th at 17:10 before departing south-east five minutes later; Two juveniles were seen at New Passage and Severn Beach on October 2nd with one still present on October 3rd and 5th; One was seen at New Passage on October 14th - 16th ; One was reported over Thornbury Yacht Club at Oldbury-on-Severn on October 28th at 11:35 heading south.

 

 

Spoonbills at New Passage. September 2011. Vic Savery.

 

2010: (1)

A 1st winter was seen in flight over Thornbury Yacht Club, Oldbury-on-Severn in the morning on December 2nd.

 

2009: (2)

Two juveniles were seen briefly in the evening at 19:15 on the shore at Shepperdine on April 12th.

 

 

Spoonbills at Shepperdine. April 2009. Pete Hazelwood.

 

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.

 

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.

 

2004: (1)

An adult was seen briefly on February 15th at Northwick Warth.

 

 

Spoonbill at Northwick Warth. February 2004. Paul Bowerman.

 

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.

 

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