Spoonbills on Dutch desert islands

This video from England is called Ten spoonbill chicks fledge from Holkham National Nature Reserve.

Translated from the blog of the Dutch game wardens of the usually desert islands Rottumeroog and Rottumerplaat:

How about the spoonbills?

Posted on July 10, 2012, by Bert Corté

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The spoonbills of Rottumeroog arrived in March, but nesting started late. When we heard from our colleagues on Rottumerplaat that they had seen the first chick, that was not yet the case on Rottumeroog.

However, on Zuiderduin

a small desert island close to Rottumeroog. See also here.

there were eggs, new-born chicks and a single nest with bigger chicks, about a week old. Now, on Rottumeroog during high water, many young and adult birds congregate. The young birds are identified by the absence of the long decorative feathers behind the head which the adult birds wear. Furthermore, they are a bit smaller and have pinkish bills, not the beautiful black bills with yellow tips of the adult birds. They also have black at the tips of their wings which is clearly visible when they fly.

On July 5, during high water, 26 adult birds were counted and approximately 30 youngsters. That looks fine.