PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS

Sneaking along the edge of an estuary, I was treading as carefully as I could while trying to keep my profile as low as possible and stay out of sight. My target was a group of resting royal spoonbills.

I was doing really well so far at about eighty metres out and with the nature of the terrain, I thought I should be able to get to within forty metres or so. Perfect!

Then it happened. One careless step and my left foot sank into a soft patch of mud upsetting my balance completely, plunging me sideways and sending me splashing into the muddy water. Very undignified, and needless to say, the spoonies bolted in a blur of flailing feet and beating wings.

Being wet through was bad enough but once I’d extracted and recomposed myself, I discovered the worst part of the whole encounter…I was covered in