Rare royal visit at Castlepoint

WALKABOUT: The royal spoonbill spotted at Castlepoint.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Mauriceville Limeworks manager David Cameron spotted a rare visitor to Castlepoint last Sunday, a royal spoonbill perched on Battleship Rock.

"I've never heard of one being at Castlepoint before. I've seen them down at Nugget Point in the Catlins, there's a colony of them there, but for some reason he's gone walkabout to check out New Zealand.

"I was very surprised, they've obviously moved into the Wairarapa."

A gathering of royal spoonbills was spotted by leading Wairarapa birdwatcher Colin Scadden earlier this year near Lake Wairarapa, further south than Castlepoint.

Mr Scadden supplied a photo to the Times-Age and said it appeared the birds were nesting.