Venus Pool - Jack Snipe encore

Virtually a month since first being found, the Venus Pool Jack Snipe is still present and todays appearance was the closest of all. I make no apology for using him in a series of comparison / close up images...

Waking up from a snooze and in danger of getting stomped!

Phew, near miss...

Head on crown pattern firmly etched for those moments in the vegetation!

Size isn't everything but no doubt which is the Jack here!!

Them legs are rarely on view!

Exit stage right...

We shall miss him but for now, just enjoy the moment...

Venus Pool - Jack Snipe take 2

Just over a week had passed and after no further sightings the Jack Snipe was once again showing well - in brilliant sunshine!

Looking so much better for it, proudly showing off its (ID shot) dark crown stripe

Before having a walkabout whilst bob bob bobbing along...

The best foot forward favourite :-)

Venus Pool - Jack Snipe

 An excellent surprise at Venus Pool today with a Jack Snipe present and for once showing well! 

Well sort of? A change of hide was indicated...

That's better but the short bill would be nice...

Woken from his snooze, no complaints now!

Some size comparisons?

With a Common Snipe towering over him...

Note the head pattern, the solid dark central crown stripe of Jack Snipe compared to the pale narrow equivalent of Common Snipe! Sorted!

Take your pick :-)

Nice to have a patch 'photographed' bird rather than a flushed one in Feb 2017!!

Shropshire - Jack Snipe

It's New Years Day and apart from Scilly, I haven't had a Jack Snipe in full view for many years, never mind locally. This one nevertheless did his best to conceal whilst showing rather well? One pic sums it up...

Bob, bog, bobbing along...

St. Mary's - Lower Moors - Jack Snipe

One thing you can say about Jack Snipe is that they are small, cryptically marked and 'disappear' within their normal habitat. So, it's fair to say these are 'showing well' eh? Try as I might, there was always some vegetation in front of the little blighter!

Even when feeding seemingly in the open!!

The biggest surprise of the evening was when it disappeared and then scuttled across the grass (briefly stopping) below the hide!

It was sooo close but still managed to get grass in the way!

It was even close enough to record it with my phone, whilst merrily bob.. bob.. bobbing along....

Scilly day 8 - Jack Snipe

There's something captivating about Jack Snipe, they always command attention (especially when they are a local rarely seen mega back home!!) and at least two were now stealthily bobbing their way into unobstructed view....

And then the sun came out :-)

So distinctive, could you ever get one confused with a Common Snipe?

It's a popular section of my 'identity crisis' talk and striding side by side with a Common Snipe the size difference is so striking!

But you need sufficient depth of field to keep them both in focus?

And then you get motion blur, but the drilling is what they do :-)

Add a bit of habitat and I've got a couple of frame fillers to finish with....

Not quite the YBW finale but so many good days on Scilly seem to end with good birds!