At Lake Gillawarna, Georges Hall, these two Royal Spoonbills (Platalea regia) were sharing a tender moment.
While neither were in their spectacular breeding plumage – both sexes grow an elegant 15-20 cm crest, their chest feathers become flushed with a soft yellow wash, and they develop patches of yellow skin above each eye and a red spot in the centre of their heads – it was impossible not to imagine that this mutual preening was part of a burgeoning romance. Or are we just old softies?
Bramandagram 