Behaviour to watch for

["martin butterfield" <>]

Shaun Bagley's posting about a third nest suggest that the small willow tree must be getting rather full now. 

The description of the breeding behaiour of the species in HANZAB commences with a male bird building a rudimentary nest from which it initially "repels all boarders".  So far, this behaviour hasn't been reported - probably because no-one was looking for it!  Observers might therefore wish to keep an eye for spoonbills spending significant time in trees other than the island willow, especially if they seem to be re-arranging the foliage!  

I'd welcome any emails with descriptions of such behaviour, including detail on the location of the tree (perhaps relating this to the hides).

Martin