……. 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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