The Roseate Spoonbill is a distinctive bird at all times in North America. It is a treat to see at all times also. The ideal place to see a Roseate Spoonbill in the United States is in Florida, where they are quite common. In Arizona they are casual, meaning they are rarely encountered. There are plenty of historic records for Arizona, but the state usually gets a Spoonbill every few years. When one shows up, it creates quite the stir!
This particular Spoonbill was found on a hot August day at the Glendale Recharge Ponds by Melanie Herring. Ironically, this was the 2nd Roseate Spoonbill at the Glendale Recharge Ponds in two years. I saw the first one also. This individual Melanie found was unpredictable on where it would hang out. It would spend time in the middle of the basins or in the nearby Agua Fria River channel, which is densely vegetated. Nearly a month after Melanie's discovery, I finally got the looks I wanted at this Spoonbill who sat in the middle of the basins. Certainly a fun bird to observe!