I’ve got a soft spot for wildlife that utilises camouflage. I’ve found numerous Jack Snipe this season but only attempted to photograph this one as you can do so without stepping into their habitat. This is something you can’t avoid when photographing Nightjar though, which is why I recommend you stay out of breeding areas during spring and summer where you’re more likely to cause disturbance, or even step on the nest, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Somethings finding birds doesn’t require such subtly though, and sound usually gives their location away, even in the winter, which is why I love bringing my recording gear with me. This is a good example of why I encourage people to record sound in the field, as it can often reveal a much bigger picture of what species are in the environment. I heard this call numerous times, and it’s not unlike the call of a Whitethroat, or even a Dartford Warbler, but if you listen carefully, the sound isn’t made up of a group of notes like a typical bird call is. It took me a while to find out what it actually was, as I couldn’t see the critter in the hedge and it was right next to a reen, which was my first clue.
It was in-fact a Water Shrew! I’ve never seen one before, and I’ve certainly not heard one till today, but this is a sound I will not forget. It wouldn’t be the first time that I recorded something that I couldn’t see, and this is why I love sound recording, as you start to pay more attention to the whole environment and not what’s directly in-front of you.