wow that's a great photo. I've never seen a live snipe but I understand they are supposed to be shy? Was this a lucky opportunity, or are they not as shy as I believe?
From my observations (Wilson's snipe, not common as seen here), an extremly shy bird in the spring, and I have to work to flush them. They seem to feed more openly on mudlfats in the fall though. Great shot!
I find that snipe are less active than most waders, and they are so well camouflaged that they can almost disappear while you are looking at them, particularly as they are are usually found in boggy spots with quite a bit of vegetation. On the other hand, while they are feeding, like this one, they just seem to concentrate on the business - although I took this photo from a permanent hide .
The male's display flight in spring is quite spectacular because his tail feathers make the sound known as drumming.
