On the Dec. 13th Tamar cruise a Spoonbill was observed with the following colour rings.

Left Leg- light green over yellow over light green
Right leg- Red over yellow flag over metal.

Otto Overdijk of the Dutch Spoonbill Workng Group replied to the request for information with the following news:

‘Indeed, now I can identify this bird. A juvenile bird ringed at Den Oever 29/7/2009 ( just North from Amsterdam, Wadden Sea Coast Lat 52.934N Lon 5.031E )

This is a new breeding site in Netherlands situated at a dike.  This dike has no connexion with the mainland. It’s a dike to slow-down the current. That it has no connexion with land means also that birds are safe, there are no foxes or other ground predators. Also no people come and set feet onto this dike so it also very quiet for Spoonbills.’

Working group Spoonbills International

species:           Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia leucorodia)            7325/106859
colour rings :    LYL/RYfa       ringing place:       NL  Den Oever, Banaan 52 56N-05 02E
metal ring nr :   NLA .8050697    ringing age :     nestling
ringing date:     29-07-09               sex :             unknown

date                 country and site or reserve                     observer                          days              dist                   sexe

16-09-09            NL  Den Oever  nabij haven            Leon Kelder                            49               0 km.
24-09-09            NL  Den Oever  nabij haven           Leon Kelder                             57              0 km.
15-11-09            GB  Cornwall Plymouth   River Lynher     Bruce Taggart       109          696 km.
13-12-09            GB  Cornwall Plymouth   River Lynher     Bruce Taggart       137          696 km.

See the Dutch Spoonbill Working Group and follow some of the birds in Google earth!. www.werkgroeplepelaar.nl

Please report all colour ringed Spoonbill sightings to Otto Overdijk at o.overdijk@wxs.nl