Unusual bill brings in birdwatchers to Baron’s Haugh

A rare spoonbill has been causing excitement for birdwatchers at RSPB Scotland Baron’s Haugh.

They are tall white wading birds with black legs, and are named after their unusual, spoon-shaped bills, which they use to feed on small fish and water insects.

The birds are relatively common across parts of mainland Europe, but are rare in Britain, with only around four pairs breeding in England. They’re particularly unusual in Scotland, and this is only the second record of a spoonbill at the Motherwell nature reserve.

Local birdwatcher Andrew Russell was lucky enough to spot the spoonbill, and even managed to take some photographs. He said:“i’ve always wanted to see a spoonbill in Scotland, so when one was reported at Baron’s Haugh, I was amazed to hear that a bird so exotic and rare in the west of Scotland was on my local RSPB reserve.

“The bird was reported early in the morning (of June 27) with no sign all day, so I didn’t think I’d see it, but then it was spotted again. It was getting late before I was able to visit, and with the dying light I sprinted down the meadow towards the Marsh Hide and was greeted by the stunning spoonbill.

“It was gleaming white, and the last of the sun’s rays shone down upon it as it gracefully waded through the water sifting through the mud with its spectacular-shaped beak. This wasn’t the Camargue, it was on the outskirts of busy Motherwell. Amazing!”

Spoonbills were probably once a relatively common bird across Britain but became locally extinct in the seventeenth century due to hunting and habitat loss. They started to return in the 1990s, and in 1998 one pair managed to successfully fledge chicks, which are called‘ teaspoons’. In 2008, a pair fledged three chicks on Kirkcudbright Bay in Dumfries and Galloway.

Gerry Mcauley, RSPB Scotland area reserves manager, said:“rare visitors do appear at Baron’s Haugh from time to time and this really is rare, being only the second recorded sighting since the reserve was purchased by the RSPB back in the 1980s. A lot of our management work in the wetland centres around creating just the right habitat for this type of species, where they can feast on a range of aquatic life in the shallow waters of the haugh. This spoonbill clearly appreciated our efforts!”

The sighting could be part of a wider trend of these sorts of water birds moving further north, with other species such as great white egrets, little egrets and avocets also becoming more regular visitors in Scotland.

RSPB Scotland Baron’s Haugh is located on the edge of Motherwell next to Dalzell Estate. It is open at all times, and there are regular events. To find out more, visit www. rspb.org.uk/baronshaugh.