We get a lot of lapwings at this time of year, they all seem to congregate in the fields on their way to or from somewhere or other. Many times I have tried photograph them, always without success. They are far too nervous to hang around when I am about. I've promised myself that if I ever win the lottery I'll buy myself a Hubble-sized lens so that I can sit in my living room and shoot lapwings in the fields four miles away, until that time I'd kind of given up on them.

Until I saw this one. He (or perhaps she) wasn't with the others in the fields, but on the grass verge near a mini-roundabout. It also seemed more reluctant to fly away. I think, because it has a broken leg. You can see from the pictures that it doesn't like putting it's right leg down, and this is more apparent when watching it move. I guess it is more comfortable hopping on a council-manicured verge than on a freshly ploughed field.

But what can be done? There's no way we could catch it; even if we could I don't know that there'd be anyway of helping it. So I think all we can do is wish good luck to Limpy the Lapwing or perhaps, break a leg.

Good sots,beautiful bird....very sad ,i think it gooing to die soon ????? · 2009-01-11: 09:32

I guess he had a bit of a crash landing, shame that nothing can be done for him. Nice close-ups of it though. busybee36 · 2009-01-11: 11:55

Great captures - so close!! Beautiful bird - sad about his leg :( lookagain · 2009-01-11: 12:01

last is exellent! gonia · 2009-01-11: 12:21

sad story lovely capture chrisbuchan · 2009-01-11: 21:24

a beautiful set :) whiteknight229 · 2009-01-11: 21:40

Poor thing. Great shots. Looks like he wasn't too concerned that you were there since he focused on food for a bit in # 4. Here's wishing Limpy good luck. Nubster · 2009-01-11: 22:47

great catch slowpete · 2009-01-12: 06:11

Oh poor thing! Great shots :-) jet28 · 2009-01-12: 06:53

Nice shots. Hope the legs heals ok. Lynda · 2009-01-12: 07:47

Nice shots. How long have you been lying on the ground to get these taken?? lol Papalexie · 2009-01-12: 12:50

Limpy Report: He was still there tonight at 10.50pm Jarvo · 2009-01-12: 19:53

Wow... #6 is what I like the most, because it seems like the lapwing was looking at you and thinking "what the hell are you doing stopped there?" It's a shame that he (or she) has a broken leg... It is not easy to survive in such conditions, but who knows... ????? · 2009-01-13: 07:26

beautiful bird! Nice shots! BVM33 · 2009-01-13: 12:13

poor thing, we see damaged gullwings a lot here, and indeed it's difficult to help them all. really great shots!!! eternity65 · 2009-01-14: 13:07

Great shots off a poor thing... :-( Ryana · 2009-01-15: 12:02

Tagged: lapwing great wakering vanellus