Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago feeding on a bitterly cold winter's day

Опубликовано: 17 Декабрь 2022
на канале: David Element

This Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago was spotted by expert birdwatcher Mark Bravery secreted away on the bank of a slow-moving water-channel in a small London park on a bitterly cold December day, and he kindly drew the attention of the photographer to it. Snow had fallen several days earlier, and in sub-zero temperatures it had not only failed to thaw but become covered in a thick layer of frost. In weather conditions like these it becomes difficult for waders to feed on mud-living invertebrates, so moving to a location where water is flowing and not freezing over may be a life-saving action. These food-items are located not by sight, but by probing with the long bill, well-equipped with nerves at its tip. It was a matter of sheer good fortune that the previously motionless (apart from its eyelids!) Snipe elected to start feeding just after a zooming shot, designed to illustrate the difficulty of spotting these cryptically marked and incredibly well camouflaged birds. Not only did it start to feed, but it moved into a better, sunlit position, right in front of the camera. Fortunately, the bird was not disturbed by a dog-walker calling for her dog to follow her after it had wandered back to where the Snipe was feeding, but it will not surprise viewers to learn that the shouting has been edited out!