Roseate Spoonbill
© Tara Tanaka
Published:
January 31, 2011
A Roseate Spoonbill splashes in the water at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, Florida, in mid-December 2010. Tara Tanaka of Tallahassee describes how she got the shot:
“My husband and I arrived at our campground in Titusville in the early afternoon, dropped off the camper, and immediately headed for Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island NWR. We stopped at a spot that had a few Reddish Egrets, and I set up my camera gear. As the sun got lower, the wind remained gusty, and Roseate Spoonbills began gathering, facing the sun. They were all preening, but one started splashing and pumping its wings as if it was trying to get as much water in the air as possible. As the camera clicked, I could hear a loud ‘GUSHHH GUSHHH GUSHHH’ sound. Only two other spoonbills out of the dozen or so there joined in the spirited bath ritual. It was a special treat to see and photograph.”
Tara digiscoped the photo using a Panasonic Lumix G1 camera mounted on a Kowa 884 spotting scope with a Kowa TSN-PZ photo adapter and posted it in our
U.S. and Canada Gallery. You can see more of her photos on
Flickr.
See a Roseate Spoonbill in breeding plumage in Texas.
See a Roseate Spoonbill landing in a tree.
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