Common Snipe- Gallinago Gallinago

[Jeroen Stel]

Hi Guys,

Had planned to go to Belgium today to get some shots of Short-eared Owls, but unfortunately that trip got cancelled...
So trying to make the best of things i went to my favourite nature reserve just around the corner of my home and searched for some Snipes wich i had seen earlier this month. The funny thing is that their camouflage is so darn good that they can not be seen with just your eyes and you need a big lens just to spot them. So when i was taking these pictures there where some people looking at me as if i was crazy taking pictures of these dry reed-stems....:D

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Canon Eos 1D Mark3
Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
Aperture: F 13
Exposure mode: AV
Exposure compensation: -1/3
Flash:no
Flash exposure compensation: -
Metering mode: Evaluative
Drive mode: AI Focus
ISO: 500
Lens: Canon 600mm F4 + 2x TC
Focal length:1560 mm
AF mode: Auto Focus
On tripod and Wimberley Sidekick
Levels/Curves/USM/Contrast/Saturation/Noise Ninja/Lab-Sharpening

[Axel Hildebrandt]

That camouflage works really well. I might try to remove the OOF sticks behind the bird.

[George DeCamp]

Amazing it is so like it's surroundings,quite the camo indeed. The OOFtwigs in the upper middle are a nit the rest is very nice!!

[Jeroen Stel]

Hi Guys,

Thanks so far for your comments and i think you are right about the OOF stems in the BG. They do attract too much attention.
Thanks!

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel

[Marko Matesic]

Interesting bird..great camouflage....I like that you did`t exclude habitat and show us how good her camouflage works :)
Composition and colors works fine for me .

[Len Maltese]

Nice to see a habitat image of this bird.