Of Grainy Snipe and Icefalls

First thing this morning Mrs W spotted a couple of snipe in the field behind us.  I was in the shower at the time . . .
 
Well I managed a few shots from the open bedroom window before the neighbours noticed and anything froze and fell off, but even with the Tamron 150-600 a lot of cropping was required, and at 1000 ASA (that’s  ISO 1000 for the youngsters) the final images are a bit grainy.  One of the better ones is at ‘extra’.
 
Talking of frozen things falling off, I was sat at my pooter editing the snipe when I heard the side gate rattle.  Suspecting that we had intruders, or the window cleaner, I was at the side door in a couple of seconds, but no sign of anyone – not even footprints in the snow.  Then I noticed the remains of a very large icicle lying beside our spare paving slabs that had been transformed into a frozen waterfall by the same drip from the gutter that had formed the unnoticed icicle in the first place. 
 
One takes one’s photo opportunities when one can.  Icefall Blip, snipe extra . . .