Yellow-billed Spoonbills Tokaanu Wharf Turangi

[Grahame]

Four visiting American birders report to Sav, four well-seen Yellow-billed Spoonbills over Tokaanu wharf at 0800 yesterday (Friday 12th). Very confident of their identification as one Royal Spoonbill flew close by for comparison a few minutes later.

[Tim Barnard]

Russ and I are on our way. Russ also reports an elephant seal in front of the campsite at Ohiwa.

[Davidthomas]

Good luck lads and lass! Hopefully you manage to catch up with them.

[RussCannings]

Not sure if Tim is still onsite but Lisa and I put in around 4 hours checking the lake shore near Tokaanu, as well as Lake Rotoaira and Otomangakau. No spoonbills of any description.

Tim did spot a White-winged Black Tern (breeding plumage) that was regularly fishing near the Tongariro River mouth (visible from the new and old wharfs at Tokaanu. Plenty of great hiding spots for a flock of spoonbill. Hopefully they turn up again. I'd be on high alert anywhere from Auckland to the Manawatu!

Russ

[Tim Barnard]

No luck, we checked a few spots on the way back. As Russ mentioned, there is so much habitat down there, like looking for needles in a haystack. Lovely day though and the WWBT was a bonus. I'll start a thread on that.

Watched a Little Black Shag deal to a cat fish which was amusing.

Cheers
Tim

[andrewcrossland]

Any update?

[RussCannings]

To my knowledge no one else has looked. Hoping to get down there with a kayak at some point but the stars have not aligned.

Russ

[Davidthomas]

Might try and have a quick look tomorrow on my way through, we’ll see

[Davidthomas]

Unfortunately I didn’t have time to stop in and look sorry guys.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Three, maybe 4 yellow-billed spoonbills currently in a tree between the old tokaanu wharf and waihi village. The observer thought he saw one there last week and now sure of id.