Roseate Spoonbills Foraging

Thank you, Patty, for seeing them and telling Carol; and thank you, Carol, who then told me about the Roseate Spoonbills who were about 20 minutes away. I was out the door and in my car in 10 minutes!

There’s just something about Roseate Spoonbills that we all go ‘gaga’ over.

“You mean us?”

So let’s go gaga over these pink-a-licious beauties!

Bowl of Roseate Spoonbills foraging

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbills

I hope these brightened your day! 😊

Tags: 10000 Islands, bird, Florida, foraging, NWR, pink, reflections, refuge, Roseate Spoonbill, sweeping

65 thoughts on “Roseate Spoonbills Foraging”

Ingrid on 03/29/2020 at 4:07 PM said:

Gaga! Love these pink beauties. Great photos.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 4:38 PM said:
  
  😊 Thank you, Ingrid!
  
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H.J. for avian101 on 03/29/2020 at 4:32 PM said:

The lighting was perfect! These RS are full of energy and very perky. Good shooting, Donna. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 4:39 PM said:
  
  Thank you, HJ, it was in the morning. They were sweeping their bills back and forth and definitely full of energy! 🙂
  
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Carol A. Smith on 03/29/2020 at 4:44 PM said:

Awwww! These are wonderful Donna! So so so glad they were still there when you arrived! Gaga indeed!!!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 5:50 PM said:
  
  Thank you AGAIN, Carol! I am thrilled I didn’t think twice on going. To heck with the chores!! 😉
  
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anotherday2paradise on 03/29/2020 at 4:45 PM said:

They are such stunning creatures. Lucky you to see so many. I only see one very occasionally. Great shots, Donna. 😍

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 5:51 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Sylvia! Your Miss Rosie needs to start a family around your pond…. 🙂
  
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susanhale828gmailcom on 03/29/2020 at 4:58 PM said:

Wow, Donna! These are gorgeous! No wonder you jumped in your car and headed off to find them. Beautiful! By the way, are you having any issues with ‘social distancing’ at your location?

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 5:54 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Susan! No issues with social distancing, everyone respectfully stays 6′ apart. I actually pulled off the 2-way highway safely for these spoonbills while the cars continued on by. The birds are everywhere down here; and there are so many dirt roads and remote areas, I’ve been alone many times in my own little paradise. 🙂
  
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Stephen Talabac on 03/29/2020 at 5:19 PM said:

Great captures Donna! Only time I was able to photograph one (yup… just 1) was at Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island many years ago. But it was a thrill nonetheless.

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Stephen Talabac on 03/29/2020 at 5:19 PM said:

Great captures Donna! Only time I was able to photograph one (yup… just 1) was at Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island many years ago. But it was a thrill nonetheless.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 5:57 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Steve! After not finding but one or two at a distance, I was planning to go to DDNWR for them and then the social distancing started. I’ve gotten lucky since with a few sightings around me, thank goodness! They were high on my list of birds I wanted to photograph while here. 🙂
  
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David & Laura Speer on 03/29/2020 at 5:22 PM said:

These are incredible photos!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 5:58 PM said:
  
  Thank you!
  
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aussiebirder on 03/29/2020 at 5:40 PM said:

Beautiful colour and reflections Donna, you are so blessed to be seeing so much beauty. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 6:00 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Ashley, I really do feel blessed and very fortunate. I am going to miss this area’s paradise when we depart in a few days….I hope we can return next winter!
  
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tootlepedal on 03/29/2020 at 6:02 PM said:

I can quite see why you rushed off to capture them.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 6:09 PM said:
  
  😊 Thank you, Tom!
  
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Reed Andariese on 03/29/2020 at 6:55 PM said:

Very nice Donna! One of my favorite birds to see & photograph! Well done!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 9:00 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Reed!
  
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Irene Tron, Heaven's Sunshine on 03/29/2020 at 8:05 PM said:

Love these! Must be wonderful to watch them. 😊

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/29/2020 at 9:02 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Irene! I wish it was easy to find and watch them every day sitting on a lovely bench. 😊
  
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  - Irene Tron, Heaven's Sunshine on 03/30/2020 at 6:39 AM said:
    
    Makes your great images even more special. ❤️
Tofino Photography on 03/30/2020 at 1:24 AM said:

such a odd looking creature. It looks like some parts got mixed up. Do they get the pink from what they eat?

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:46 AM said:
  
  Yes, Roseate Spoonbills do get their pink coloration from eating crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates that contain pigments.
  
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  - Tofino Photography on 03/30/2020 at 10:28 AM said:
    
    I heard Flamingos get their colouring from eating krill?
  - bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 11:04 AM said:
    
    I’ve read that Flamingos get their pink coloring from eating red & blue-green algae and brine shrimp which is a different crustacean than krill.
  - The Hinoeuma on 03/30/2020 at 1:36 PM said:
    
    So, if either bird were underfed, they would be white?
  - bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 2:40 PM said:
    
    If they don’t eat the algae or brine shrimp, but do still stay well-fed, Flamingos would have white feathers. 😲
  - The Hinoeuma on 03/30/2020 at 2:44 PM said:
    
    WOW.
  - bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 2:44 PM said:
    
    Sorry, hit enter to fast! Roseate Spoonbills are naturally a very pale pink as juveniles to adulthood, get brighter if eating the right crustaceans and even brighter when in breeding plumage! 🙂
  - The Hinoeuma on 03/30/2020 at 3:01 PM said:
    
    LOL!
    
    Gotcha. Interesting! So, if they are very bright pink, they are in the mood for LOVE! ❤
  - bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 3:54 PM said:
    
    oh yea!
Alittlebitoutoffocus on 03/30/2020 at 3:56 AM said:

Love that fabulous pink colour – and the fact that they’re called Roseate and not just Pink Spoonbills.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:47 AM said:
  
  I so agree! Roseate sounds so much more elegant! 🙂
  
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Indira on 03/30/2020 at 5:13 AM said:

Amazingly pretty birds and great series!!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:48 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Indira!
  
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emberbear on 03/30/2020 at 5:37 AM said:

So beautiful!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:48 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Imorgana!
  
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Jane's Heartsong on 03/30/2020 at 8:33 AM said:

I can’t get over that particular hue! Lovely!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:53 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Jane! It’s why we all go gaga over them in the U.S. 🙂
  
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Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography on 03/30/2020 at 8:34 AM said:

Title this one Donna and the rock stars LOL. Great

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:55 AM said:
  
  😊 I love that title! Thanks Ted!
  
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Eddie Two Hawks on 03/30/2020 at 8:41 AM said:

Oh my goodness! Incredible photos, amazing birds, what a beautiful species!
We are so fortunate to have them dress up our world!
Thank you for your great post Donna

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 8:56 AM said:
  
  Thank you much, Eddie! Just seeing one pumps anyone’s adrenaline, lol. Yes, we are quite fortunate with theirs and other birds’ beauty! 🙂
  
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belindagroverphotography on 03/30/2020 at 11:16 AM said:

Spoonbills always make me smile. Great shots!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 11:45 AM said:
  
  Beautiful smile, Belinda! Just something about them….. 🙂
  
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Beth Bradley on 03/30/2020 at 11:36 AM said:

Thanks for continuing your wonderful posts. They do brighten my day! hugs

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 11:49 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Beth, hugs back at you!
  
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The Hinoeuma on 03/30/2020 at 1:38 PM said:

They are just screamingly adorable. They are sort of like the Platypus of the bird world.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 2:45 PM said:
  
  I agree on both comments, Vic! 😊
  
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  - The Hinoeuma on 03/30/2020 at 3:04 PM said:
    
    I’m in love.
circadianreflections on 03/30/2020 at 2:36 PM said:

They are so beautiful and your images are just lovely! I love the ones with the reflections. What a season you’re having!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 2:58 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Deborah! I am so thrilled to have gotten this opportunity. Alas, we depart from the Everglades on Wednesday, back to reality. 😦
  
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  - circadianreflections on 03/30/2020 at 4:25 PM said:
    
    Oh. 😭 Hopefully, you’ll return next season and have another stellar year of birding there.
    
    At least you have the Osprey’s Bella and Beau to look forward to.
  - bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 4:52 PM said:
    
    😭 I was going through an accident recovery period from 2016-19, so we rented a place last 1 1/2 yrs where Bella & Beau live so we could be on the water. Home is northwest Baltimore. But now with the pandemic, we’re going to head to our SC RV lot in remote upcountry and hunker down there as long as necessary. Spring is beginning there so that is promising! Although, I think about B&B often, wondering if they both made it back in last two weeks. I was going to go visit them when we got back next month. But it is just too chancy to go back to Maryland where there are a ton of people as well as not get to go see my grandboys….. Thank goodness for facechat! 🙂
  - circadianreflections on 03/30/2020 at 6:29 PM said:
    
    I miss my Grandson’s too. I am so grateful for FaceTime!
    
    I bet you’re going to see great birds in SC. Safe journey!
  - bayphotosbydonna on 03/30/2020 at 10:04 PM said:
    
    Thank you, Deborah, you stay safe too! And no more tremors!!!!
  - circadianreflections on 03/31/2020 at 10:44 AM said:
    
    Thank you, let’s hope! 😀
Birder's Journey on 04/01/2020 at 7:57 PM said:

Agreed!! They’re just irresistible. Beautiful shots, Donna. Looks like they were enjoying themselves. ☺️

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/02/2020 at 9:37 PM said:
  
  Thank you, I do think they were enjoying themselves, sweeping in unison, all so pretty! 🙂
  
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Gunta on 04/03/2020 at 12:14 AM said:

Trying desperately to catch up. Sure glad I didn’t miss these lovelies! They certainly are something special.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/03/2020 at 1:17 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Gunta, I’m glad you got to see these! I’ve got hundreds of gorgeous photos of so many birds from the past couple months, I’m pumping them out daily at this point! lol 😉
  
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  - Gunta on 04/03/2020 at 2:46 PM said:
    
    Making it harder for me to keep up, but so happy you’re having such fun!