Animals,  Birds,  Lens-Artists,  Themed galleries

Gallery: when luck plays its part

April 12, 2026 / 59 Comments

Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Seneca can’t possibly have had photography in mind when he made that observation around 2,000 years ago. But it applies so well. We can plan our shots as carefully as we might, but luck plays its part too. There are always factors we cannot control, from people to weather to wildlife.

For Sofia’s Lens Artists challenge, Lucky Shot, I’ve chosen to focus on wildlife photography as I feel that’s an area where luck plays a very big part in the success (or failure!) of our shots. The bird that turns to look at you at just the right time. The animal that ‘performs’ almost on cue. Of course patience is helpful too, as you often have to wait for those moments. But sometimes you’re in luck and they happen unexpectedly.

My feature photo was taken in Silves, Portugal, where I was lucky to catch all four of these stork chicks peering out of their nest at the same time.

Note: a number of these photos have been shared previously, some more than once, but they fitted the brief too well to be left out! All have been freshly edited for this post to give them a new lease of life.

In Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, I observed a stand-off between a dog and a land monitor lizard; the dog won and the lizard slinked away, at which point the dog lost all interest

I consider this photo of a Lilac-breasted Roller, taken in Chobe National Park in Botswana, to be one of my luckiest shots ever, as I couldn’t have asked it to pose on a more interestingly shaped tree

A vulture on the beach at Puñihuil (on the island of Chiloé in Chile) turned to look at me at just the right moment, though the nearby gull studiously ignored me!

A honey bee dusted with pollen photobombed my photo of a spear thistle at Laguna Point in California

This young meerkat at Jersey Zoo found the perfect spot for a backlit portrait

While this flamingo at the same zoo opened its eye just as I took the shot

On the cliffs at Londrangar in Iceland a Black-legged Kittiwake stuck its tongue out, perhaps unhappy at having its photo taken?

This Long-tailed Tit in a Norfolk garden turned his head at just the right time, ensuring that it wasn’t partly hidden by the leaves

And this squirrel in my local Walpole Park posed, briefly, in a beautifully lit spot

While a grey heron at Osterley Park let me get incredibly close to compose this portrait

Finally, who wouldn’t smile and reach for their camera/phone if they saw a Herring Gull disobeying this ‘no parking’ sign?!

59 Comments

  • Leya

    April 15, 2026 at 11:39 Reply

    So many great shots, so many right time right place! The Lilac-breasted Roller – no bird beats that one. But the flamingo is a special one too,

  • equinoxio21

    April 14, 2026 at 20:02 Reply

    A very high percentage of good photography is clicking at the right time. Cartier-Bresson did that. With his Leica. My bother saw him once. He -my brother- was on a barricade in Paris, May ’68. “A little old man with a Leica just clicked at us.” My brother still says…

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 15, 2026 at 11:20 Reply

      That’s very true, clicking at the right time makes all the difference! That’s one reason we’re spoiled these days with digital cameras as we can easily afford to keep clicking till we get the right shot. A burst setting is invaluable for wildlife but I would have gone through one roll of film in a minute if I’d used that in the past!

      • equinoxio21

        April 16, 2026 at 00:53 Reply

        Absolutely. I still remember my first trip to Brazil in ’73. Taking a dozen rolls or so for several weeks. And buying a few extra rolls there at the price of gold…
        Oh, well. every time period has its moments.

  • wetanddustyroads

    April 14, 2026 at 10:47 Reply

    Luck … or maybe just being in the right place at the right time? I would be very happy if I could take such a beautiful photo as the one you have of the Lilac-breasted Roller. I also like the meerkat, the flamingo with the open eye and the squirrel. Hmm, it’s one of those posts where I can’t choose a favourite 🙂.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 14, 2026 at 13:56 Reply

      I reckon that ‘being in the right place at the right time’ IS a matter of luck, don’t you? Yes, I was very happy with that Lilac-breasted Roller image, so I’m glad you like it too 😀

  • Sofia Alves

    April 14, 2026 at 08:40 Reply

    Fab shots, Sarah! Inspired decision to go for wildlife only for the challenge, it works beautifully. The storks, the Lilac-breasted Roller, the meerkat, all fantastic 🙂

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 14, 2026 at 09:13 Reply

      Very many thanks Sofia, this was a great challenge theme 😊 I realised as soon as I started to hunt for appropriate photos that a majority of those I was unearthing were of wildlife so it made sense to focus on that.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 14, 2026 at 08:33 Reply

      A bit of all of those, yes Anabel, especially preparation (knowing your camera, having it at the ready), but luck also played a big part on these shots. No amount of hard work and preparation can ensure that a bird or animal obliges with a good pose in a well-lit spot!

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 13, 2026 at 10:27 Reply

      Thank you Leanne 🙂 Yes, you will understand as a photographer yourself that it isn’t just a matter of luck (that’s why I like the Seneca quote!) but it did play a big part in these particular shots.

  • Vicki

    April 13, 2026 at 04:02 Reply

    Loved all of them and perfect for the challenge. Like you, it’s nature, particularly birds, that bring some perfect unexpected results. Sometimes you just have to have your camera on some good basic settings and be willing to either take a lot of shots or wait for that perfect shot. I’m always amazed when a bird thurns at the last minute and looks straight at me.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 13, 2026 at 10:26 Reply

      Very many thanks Vicki 😊 I tend to carry my camera on the automatic setting so I’m ready for moments like these. It’s always possible to grab a shot or two that way, then you can adjust the settings if there’s the opportunity to take more shots after that.

  • Tina Schell

    April 13, 2026 at 00:07 Reply

    LOL for “no parking Sarah! Loved all of your choices as always. That flamingo is amazing and the squirrel with the berry? in its mouth is great. Really terrific response as usual.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 13, 2026 at 10:24 Reply

      Thank you very much Tina 😊 That’s a conker in the squirrel’s mouth, the seed of the horse chestnut tree. We have a whole avenue of them in our local park.

  • the eternal traveller

    April 12, 2026 at 23:07 Reply

    This is a fun post, with plenty of happy subjects posing perfectly. We have a photo on our wall which Glen took at Buchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. He just happened to notice a hummingbird in a fuschia plant, did a quick point and shoot and hoped for the best. It is a fabulous shot, much like these ones you’ve shared.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 13, 2026 at 09:46 Reply

      Thanks so much Carol 😊 You’re right, sometimes the best shots are the ones you just spot like that, but the important thing is having the camera ready when you do and knowing how to use it without having to fuss over the shot!

  • leightontravels

    April 12, 2026 at 20:28 Reply

    Hurrah for good fortune Sarah, along with your usual excellent photography skills of course. The cover photo is an absolute peach, though to be honest the entire gallery sings. When speaking of such luck, there is nothing quite like someone or something turning to look at you, or in just the right direction at precisely the right moment. Ha, when I saw the herring gull my first thought was that it is in actual fact the car park attendant. I think my favourite is the flamingo – very intimate.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 13, 2026 at 09:42 Reply

      Thanks so much Leighton 😊 Yes, that serendipitous turn of the head is always special! I hadn’t thought of the gull as car park attendant but that’s a great shout!

  • Egídio

    April 12, 2026 at 19:03 Reply

    Great moments you got here, Sarah. Besides the photos, the stories you told added to everything. For example, the dog losing interest. That bird in Botswana is an amazing capture. The trunk leads the eye right to the bird.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 13, 2026 at 09:40 Reply

      Thank you Egidio 🙂 Watching that land monitor and dog was one of my ‘consolations’ for not feeling able to attempt the climb to the top of the Lion Rock with my husband and our guide – I amused myself by looking for photo opps at the lower levels.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 12, 2026 at 16:03 Reply

      Yes, I love rollers 🙂 I stalked that heron, taking photos from a distance then moving closer. I expected him to fly or move away but he didn’t budge! Thank you Marie 🙂

  • photobyjohnbo

    April 12, 2026 at 13:04 Reply

    Sarah, my favorite of your gallery of luck is that lilac-breasted roller. They are such beautiful birds. You are a prime example of a great photographer making their own luck. I know how difficult wildlife photography can be. I have trouble packing my patience. >grin<

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 12, 2026 at 13:27 Reply

      Thanks so much John 😊 I do love rollers! And you’re right, we do often need to make our own luck. I’m not the most patient of people but I’m willing to wait a while if I think a good shot might materialise. However I chose to use these shots as they were all achieved with a fair degree of luck, no patience needed 😀

  • Anne Sandler

    April 12, 2026 at 12:29 Reply

    Great opportunistic images Sarah. I also have a flamingo shot in my folder ready to post. If I were the gull, I’d move fast just to show the turkey vulture it doesn’t have an opportunity!

  • margaret21

    April 12, 2026 at 10:41 Reply

    Marvellous! And clever you to remember these shots. You can scarcely tag them ‘lucky’, so how did you remember enough to track them down? They’re all memorable shots, but even though they are so close to home, and we all see grey squirrels and herring gulls in abundance, it’s hard not to be seduced by your nut-eater and your parking regulations flouter. But the Lilac-breasted Roller is the one to hang on your wall.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      April 12, 2026 at 12:00 Reply

      Thanks so much Margaret 😊 I have folders of favourite shots from each year so I started my hunt there, thinking that lucky shots might feature, and indeed they did! Then some of those caused me to remember others so I was able to add a few more, the ‘parking gull’ among them 🙂 Glad you like the roller so much, he’s a real favourite of mine!

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