Snipe preparing for Take-off

I had been photographing the above Snipe successfully predating on earth worms for over an hour when it decided to take a nap as shown in my previous blog and this is the moment thirty minutes later when it re awoke seemingly startled at my close and static presence and I expected it to fly immediately.

The Snipe held its ground watching me for a while before relaxing and going into a preening procedure which gradually became more elaborate and was followed by a lovely complete body shake-out.   The finale to this fine display was a skilful one legged full wing stretch.

                                        

 In the last image at the end of the stretch the bird went into a crouched sprung loaded take-off and was away to conclude what had been a magical encounter with lots of Snipe behaviour  recorded.

Snipe foraging on Worms

                                           

An alert Snipe flies into a small stream on Loggans Moor,  It exits the water and starts to forage for earthworms in the boggy banks

An hour later with many worms devoured the now relaxed Snipe moves back into reed bed cover and takes a bit of a nap !

Check out my next blog for more preening and wing stretch images on this bird when it wakes up and prepares to depart !

Emperor Dragonfly Ovipositing

These close-up images were taken as a female Emperor Dragonfly worked in a full circle laying her eggs under each leaf and stem as she proceeded around a fresh pond weed.

She spent a full thirty minutes extruding her eggs to the last one before flying off away from the pond to rest up while producing yet more eggs which will be fertilised by the resident pond male Emperor before the whole process is repeated time and time again.

Broad -winged Demoiselles

Female Demoiselle

                                                             
Male Demoiselle

The above portrait shots show the colour differences between the female and male Demoiselle and shots below are mixed images of either at alternative angles and wing positions.

Its good to see that the warmer weather is bringing life and colour back to our  clear running rivers and streams and watch out tomorrow for Emperor dragonflies taken on the same shoot !