African Spoonbill at Mahe

African Spoonbill (Catherina Onezia)

On 5 October, Lilly Soerensen and Niels Bomholt reported a Grey-tailed Tattler at Providence, Mahe (see earlier in this blog). The sent a record form to SBRC, mentioning an African Spoonbill also present. Unfortunately at the time, they did not realise that this was  first record for Seychelles and did not photograph it. Then on 28 October, Martijn van Dinther reported a spoonbill just outside Victoria. Finally on 31 October Catherina tracked the bird down and photographed it. The red face and base of the bill clearly identifies this bird as African and not Eurasian Spoonbill.

Remarkably it is less than 12 months since the first Eurasian Spoonbill for Seychelles was photographed at Aride Island.