Hi everyone,
Just as a heads-up for potential Jack Snipe chasers: From my experience
with this species in Europe, I can say that flushed Jack Snipe tend to fly
in a much straighter line than the Gallinago species (Wilson's/Common),
which usually zigzag erratically. Also, Jack Snipe are almost always silent
when flushed, and usually don't fly very far. And once they land again, you
can pretty much step on them before they flush once more (I literally had
them right in front of the toe of my shoe!).
I find that the two creamy stripes down their back are usually very obvious
in flight - even more so then the lateral stripes on Wilson's Snipe.
Just a couple of things to keep in mind when tromping through potential
Jack Snipe habitat ...
Happy hunting
HH
On Sat, Oct 17, 2015 at 8:43 AM, Charles Gates <cgates326@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Just to keep Jack Snipe on everyone's radar, Jeff Nordstrom and I had a
similar experience at Crissey Field State Park south of Brookings on
Tuesday, Oct 12. I was walking the trail near the visitors center when a
small bird flushed and flew about thirty feet away. I had the impression
of an odd passerine in the brief second I observed it. As I approached, it
flushed and I clearly saw that it was a snipe, however, it seemed
miniature. I flew off over the trees and we were left just looking at each
other. Because neither of us have experience with this bird and because it
appeared to fly off, we neglected to record the bird or report it.
On 10/16/2015 10:44 PM, Owen Schmidt wrote:
……. Jack Kiley, John Elizalde and I walked a clockwise loop around the--
ponds at South Jetty Columbia River (Clatsop County) today just before high
tide (2-3:00 pm). When we got to the back pond (the one where Long-toed
Stint and Common Redshank had been seen years ago) a snipe rose out of the
vegetation just to the west of the pond, flew directly overhead, and
quickly disappeared over the conifers to the east. Elizalde called out
“snipe” to which I added “miniature snipe.”
The bird presented itself as a snipe in every respect — pointed wings,
very rapid wingbeat, fast and somewhat rocking flight, but not a very long
bill. We compared notes immediately. We agreed the bird appeared
basically all-dark above with a pale abdomen but because the very brief
sighting was from below and behind against a completely overcast sky no
detailed feather pattern was seen. We barely had time to get our
binoculars on it before it disappeared. The bird did not vocalize. It was
a snipe. A small snipe. A miniature snipe.
Weeks earlier I had been chasing meadowlarks very near this location when
I flushed a Wilson’s Snipe from long vegetation that presented no issues
about its size or proper ID. That bird did not vocalize, either.
Swinhoe’s Snipe, Pintail Snipe, Common Snipe and Wilson’t Snipe are all
about the same size and show long bills. Jack Snipe is smaller with a
smaller bill. The habitat is right. The date is right. Because the bird
disappeared to the east just over treetops and we don’t know of suitable
habitat in that direction — and it would be very difficult if not
impossible to walk through those conifers — we did not chase the bird. I
was carrying a long lens on a tripod over my shoulder but under the
circumstances a photo was not possible.
We also saw and photographed the Rock Wren on the jetty just west of the
observation tower (thanks, David Bailey), and a Yellow-shafted Northern
Flicker in the burn. No other shorebirds in that immediate area. Bailey
reported Lapland Longspurs, which we did not find.
oschmidt@xxxxxxx
Friday, October 16, 2015
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It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you
know for sure that just ain't so.
Mark Twain
Chuck Gates
541-280-4957
Powell Butte,
Central Oregon
Oregon Birding Site Guide
www.birdingoregon.info
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