Bee-eater Holding Dragonfly on Sudan Ridge

Honeyed evening light spills across a wind-scoured ridge in Sudan, illuminating dust that hangs low above the cracked red earth. A bee-eater perches on a weathered stone, its blue and chestnut feathers ruffled by the breeze. The bird grips a struggling dragonfly in its beak, the insect's iridescent wings catching the orange glow. Dry grasses sway beside the stone, their pale tips against deep shadows. Fine particles of red dust float in the air, suspended in the shafts of light. The bird's sharp eye reflects the bright sky above, while the dragonfly's delicate legs tremble against the beak's grip. One grain of sand rests on the bird's talon.