Roseate Spoonbill at Water Ranch, Jan 29, 2021

Mary Ann and I went to the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch (RPWR) to see the Roseate Spoonbill. Roseate Spoonbills are rare in our area. When they do show up, it’s usually for a few weeks after an event such as a storm drives them out of their normal habitat (along the coast). The last time they were at RPWR was in 2008. This one has been here for the whole winter, starting in September, which makes it even more unusual. It’s unlikely it will remain here much longer, so we wanted to see it before it left. It’s a juvenile spoonbill, but has matured quite a bit over the course of the winter.

When we arrived, the spoonbill was roosting in some trees, sleeping, and hidden from photographers (pond 2, northwest side). When we were about to head home, we saw the spoonbill feeding on the northeast side of pond 5, across from where we were at the Broad-billed Hummingbird spot. We wound up staying for quite a while longer, photographing the spoonbill, and also the cormorants fishing. The spoonbill wasn’t shy at all, and allowed us to get close to him. Maybe he’s accustomed to all the photographers that have been flocking to see him all winter long.

There were a few more highlights on this trip. I was able to photograph, for the first time for me, Neotropic Cormorants catching fish. The cormorants are common, and always diving, but I assume they catch and eat the fish underwater, because I don’t see them coming up with them. But not today! There were a lot of Snowy Egrets (maybe a dozen or so), and I noticed they would congregate and squabble wherever the cormorants were. Then I saw why: the cormorants were catching fish, and the egrets were hoping to catch any that got away from them.

Another highlight was the Broad-billed Hummingbird. We met another photographer, David Joarnt, who led us to the Broad-billed Hummingbird spot, on the north side of pond 5. They aren’t common at RPWR, or in the Phoenix area (we see them at Boyce Thompson and Madera Canyon). There was just one, who was fiercely guarding one Purple Texas Sage bush. There were also Costa’s Hummingbirds in the same area.

Soras are difficult to photograph. They hide in the reeds, and very rarely come out. Today, one came out in the open and swam right past us (pond 6, northeast side). Unfortunately, the focus was not set correctly on my camera! In spite of that, I got an OK shot.

Besides those highlights, there were all the regulars at RPWR. The ponds were full of water, and there were a lot of birds. Some ebird lists had over 60 species on one list.

I’m happy we got to see the spoonbill before it left the desert for its normal range.