Crossword Genius

Show affection to William Shoveller (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

spoonbill

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'shoveller' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'show affection to william' is the wordplay.
'show affection' becomes 'spoon' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'to william' becomes 'bill'.
'spoon'+'bill'='SPOONBILL'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for spoonbill that I've seen before include "Large wading bird" , "flyer" , "Wader" , "Tall wading bird" , "one rarely seen in the UK?" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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