Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Scarce but increasing visitor, mainly coastal in April-September, very scarce in winter.
Spoonbills nested in the Fens around Crowland in the mid-17th century and probably later. They became extinct as a breeder and were subsequently rare visitors. Lorand and Atkin (1989) noted 8 records in the 19th century of which 6 were shot. There were 11 birds in the first half of the 20th century up 1948 and then 80 up to the late 1980s. Since then it has become an increasingly regular visitor to the coast with birds summering from April-September. More birds occur in July-September, related to the post-breeding dispersal of breeding colonies in Norfolk, Yorkshire and The Netherlands as demonstrated by the presence of birds colour ringed as nestlings. The late summer population is now approaching 60-70 birds with Alkborough Flats, Frampton Marsh and Gibraltar Point the most favoured sites. In April 2018 surveyors counting an inland mixed Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea and Little Egret, Egretta garzetta colony were surprised when at least two Spoonbills flew out in a mêlée of herons. The birds hadn't been there in March and weren't seen again. No Spoonbills had been seen in the adjacent potential feeding areas. This experience suggests prospective breeding Spoonbills may be stealthier than one might imagine for such a big white bird. Hopefully they will return as a breeder in the next decade. Winter records were formerly exceptional but from 2013 to 2018 there were 8 winter records in 6 years at four different sites indicating an increasing propensity for Spoonbills to winter.
(Account as per new Birds of Lincolnshire (2021), included September 2022)