Their feathers are a breathtakingly glorious pink. There is nothing as stunning as seeing a flock of roseate spoonbills flying overhead…that is if they are far enough away that you don’t notice the odd facial expressions or that beak. What is with that beak? When they wade in shallow water dipping their beaks in after small mollusks and crustaceans, they maintain their balance and do not seem particularly awkward. But after spending a couple of days observing them at the Smith Oaks Sanctuary on High Island near Galveston, TX in March, I realized that they are really quite ungainly birds and they have the oddest facial expressions. While perched on thin branches at the rookery, they were constantly bobbing and swaying in an effort to maintain their balance and stay upright on the branches. It was quite comical and fun to watch.
Oh my goodness- what a face! These are wonderful- what fantastic opportunities you had on your visit with Connie! I keep looking at these shots- the expressions are just so engaging- and I think I see GESTURES!