Striking bird, nice composition under the circumstances (though a picture of the lions nose would have been entertaining ).
Detail is equisite and that eye worth studying alone
Sounds like it is behaving quite like our Killdeers, and it does share similar traits from the neck down. With the light coming from behind and slightly to the left a better head angle towards us, even if only slightly, would have better lit the face and the awesome eye. Good techs and sharpeness.
Thanks everybody for your kind and encouraging comments, I had seen one of these before I think from a boat on the backwaters of the Zambezi but got no images, so I was pleased to see it.
Really interesting and beautiful looking shorebird. Love the coloration on the eye and beak.
I agree a head turn towards you and the axis of light would have made for an even better image.