20th April Jack Snipe & more Wags

The message of a Jack snipe showing at Cresswell saw me arrive at the hide with all my gear including the flask ready for a long session, I have seen many jack Snipe but never had a really good look at one , to my surprise it was showing although at first very hard to pick out it did come more into the open very briefly, what a cracking little bird as it worked the ground bobbing along like a clockwork toy .

The Black headed Wagtail was reported as being at the north end again , long with the Blue-Headed /Yellow Wagtail hybrid, they both showed well although to distant for my lens, at least 8 Yellows along with White & Pied also 2 Common Sandpiper ,it was another windy day and very cold exposed on the causeway ,the strong wind caught my tripod and the lot tipped into the pond , I grabbed it quick the water gushing from the sun shade and open case, what a disaster !!! tried to get the case off but you have to take the eyepiece out so I dried it best I could hanging it on the fence to let the wind help,I used it again later and it seems OK .Thankfully Kowas are a well made scope.

Went on to Druridge to have a look at the 90 Black tailed Godwits quite a sight in the afternoon sun more dropped in and I got to 115 before some left again , later 20 dropped into Cresswell , where apparently the Black headed had again went out of sight, a bit frustrating for those that had yet to see it.

White Fronted Geese along with a few Pinkfeet still in the Woodhorn area as I drove up.

Cryptic with a capital "C" that's Jack Snipe for you
crop of the above
a few seconds in the open then back to feeding in cover , a bobbing dazzler !
I dont shoot in RAW but wonder if I could have improved these if I had
A tiny bird still some way off so another very heavy crop
Just another quick shot as it dropped on the path
part of the Black Tailed Godwit as they wheeled around 115 in total
Taken through my scope not long after being fully immersed in Cresswell Pond !!!!