The undoubted highlight of the weekend's birding was picking up a ROSEATE SPOONBILL at Lago Pelicanos. As I reached this hidden wetland site, I spotted it straight away feeding with a Great Blue Heron and 2 Great Egrets.
With their spatula like beak and their pink plumagae Roseate Spoonbill's are unmistakeable, and are surely one of the most beautiful and bizarre birds in the Americas.
Roseates sweep their bill side to side in the water to feed, picking up small insects and fish.
This is a first year bird, in a similar plumage to the one I found at Presa Constitucion back in September (http://hileybirding.blogspot.mx/2012/09/presa-de-la-constitucion-san-gil.html). That was a 'first' for Queretaro. Roseate Spoonbills are usually only found in coastal regions of Mexico. Could it be the same bird, spending the winter roaming around the wetlands of Queretaro? That's definitely a possibility. It could also be the case, however, that these visitors come to inland Mexico more frequently than previously thought.
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