Spoonbills overwinter primarily in West Africa. Banc d'Arguin National Park on the west coast of Mauritania is the most important wintering area of the Dutch breeding species (about 3000 breeding pairs in 2014).
Surely you can almost see every winter some Spoonbills on the island. These are always young birds (first winter) that remain. This winter several birds were seen. A few weeks ago, there were four. At present regularly one bird is seen at the east. Spoonbills search for food in shallow fresh and salt water. It goes without saying that this is hampered severely in case of frost. Most young birds will unfortunately not survive.
Lepelaars / Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia, 2 1w, Wagejot, Texel, 16-01-2017