Franziska Speck knew she had to take photographs when a flock of Eastern curlews arrived on the beach at Oyster Point in Queensland, Australia. Because these big shorebirds are endangered, having the opportunity to observe and photograph them is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially as they are only present in Australia for a few months of the year.
“The Eastern curlew visits our mudflats and sandy beaches in the summer,” Speck explained in an interview.
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The birds were in the midst of a feeding frenzy, with emphasis on the frenzy, so taking shots was a bit difficult. Speck gave it her all, crossing her fingers that she’d taken a few excellent images. As she looked through the images, she was thrilled to discover that the most of them were very decent — until she came across one that told a completely different narrative.
“About 50 to 60 birds were landing, and I simply shot numerous photographs, and when I reviewed the photos, I said, ‘Wow,'” Speck explained.
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The photograph depicts an Eastern curlew with what seems to be two beaks, one in front and one in behind. It’s a quirky, eye-catching shot — and the product of some hilarious timing.
It appears that another bird had either landed or was passing through behind the bird in the shot, and Speck had snapped a photo when the second bird was precisely lined up behind the first, with only his beak visible. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Speck couldn’t stop giggling when she saw it.
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Of course, another possibility is that the weird bird in the snap has two beaks. We’ll never know for sure, I suppose.