Snettisham,Norfolk.July 2008.

I set off early to get to Snettisham at first light predominately for the waders, hoping the water would not be too far out. On arrival it was fairy close in but not as near as id hoped. I set about getting a good position and waited for the sun to hit the mud flats where the birds were.

It was a spectacular sight and one i never tire of watching, but capturing an image of how you see it is another matter. Where the light was still low and having a slower shutter speed created a blurred effect which did good to show it as a mass of wings and bodies mixing as one. Virtually all knot with other species thrown in, once they start to take flight it must be hard not to react with them, although a few godwits couldn't be bothered.

After the first few shots were bagged i carried on trying to get this effect of a mass as they took off, and it only became more intense when the low sun warmed up their colours, fantastic to watch and no matter how far away they were, when they grouped up i still stopped to watch.

Once the water line had gotten out of sight i decided to just sit it out and take images of whatever came past me, being partially obscured the birds did not notice me most of the time. This held true for a marsh harrier which flew overhead being mobbed by terns and gulls. It was so sudden and near i had to wait for it to get a bit more distant as the lens would not focus down that close.


One bird that did notice me was a spotted redshank, it seemed so inquisitive with my presence it would land close enough to start with and then proceed to walk even closer.It was not bothered by me snapping away and graciously posed for a while.



Keeping still and waiting for the little egrets to come my way took some time but one eventually came close.They are so wary and are off straight away once they've seen you.This one bird was so intent on feeding it had not noticed me. And it gave some great views before it came within stones throw and then once spying me was gone in a flash.