Those Lovin' Spoonbills

Sanibel, Florida (78 degrees, humid, blue skies)

Do you believe in magic...well come along with me and check out these Roseate Spoonbills

Early this morning along the Wildlife Drive in J.N. Ding Darling NWR thirty nine of these pink beauties were hanging out on the mud flats.  John had left early in the morning on his bike to see if anything was happening during low tide.  I was still in bed when he called me and said "hurry, get up and come see".  Living in the refuge sure has it's privileges.  A few minutes later I was there with a few other folks checking out all the beauty.  

Spoonbills are year round residents at Ding Darling but lately we have only seen a few out on the mud flats.  This morning was an exceptional day.  

They were busy eating sweeping their large bills side to side detecting small fish by a sense of touch rather than by sight.  Their pink color deepens over time.  The younger or immature birds are paler in color with a yellow bill as opposed to an adult with a grey bill.  

Spoonbills are a large bird with a wingspan of 47-52 inches.  One by one around 9 a.m. they started to fly off into the distance.  The photographers were snapping pictures at a rapid pace.  I stayed until all of them had flown off.  What a wonderful way to start the morning.  Thanks for coming along with me.