A post Christmas outing to the WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) centre at Arundel today just t blow the cobwebs away.  It was a very grey day; we have a high pressure system sitting over the UK at present so its calm, cool rather than cold and, yes, a thick grey cloud base.  Consequently, I hoped to see some birds but had little expectation of much in the way of photographs.  

However, there were a good number of snipe about and I watched a number through binoculars but too far away to photograph.  By the end of the afternoon a small group of about 8 were hanging out possibly preparing to roost quite close to one of the hides but almost in-line with the windows.  Just possible to see but nearly in range but mostly hidden by foliage.  I decided to wait and as ducks and geese departed from the waters edge, a few made their way closer to the water to forage in the reeds that had been cleared.  The angle was still acute and the distance was just about doable.  In the failing light I managed to get a few shots.  Perhaps not the world’s best but my first passable snipe pics.  

The curious thing was, without binoculars, I just couldn’t see the snipe at all.  Binoculars, or a long lens, reveals them but with the naked eye, they simply melt into the grass and stems.  That plumage is brilliant camouflage and they are, after all, quite small birds.  By the time I left the interior of the hide was almost too dark to pack my gear up.  

Gear.  Nikon D500 and 200-500 f/5.6 lens.  Images shot on Manual mode to counteract the effect on exposure of variable reflections from the water at ISO 800 (though closer to 1600 effective after post processing adjustments). f/5.6 and 1/125s.  Vibration Reduction was essential at that shutter speed although the camera was also mounted on a mini tripod (loose ball head) in the hide.