Shoebill coming to greet me

The impressive male Shoebill, slightly larger than the female in the previous images, was in a separate enclosure that was almost hidden from view. When I went to it, I was by myself there and the Shoebill decided to walk round from the other side of the pond in his enclosure, then continued round behind the tree that is behind him in the image and almost came right up to me. He then proceeded to greet me with the classic Shoebill fast clicking of his beak, that is often described as being like a machine gun in operation! This was a real honour - being greeted by a Shoebill is quite something!! It was even witnessed by my wife as I was on the phone to her about the birds and she could hear the rat-tat-tat of the bird's beak clattering! Of course, I then had to reply to the bird properly, which is done by repeatedly bowing and shaking your head. The shoebill should then respond by doing the same, but as I was a new, strange person to him, he did no more than his beak clicking! This was at the World Bird Park in Walsrode, the only location where Shoebills are kept in the whole of Germany.
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