Japanese Snipe Mangere Sewage treatment canal

[Ian Southey]

These pictures were taken by Bartek Wypch on the 6th. Showing how he found it amongst the rocks and what it looked like.

Ian

[Ian Southey]

... and here's some pictures Bartek took of the bird in flight.

Ian

[Neil Fitzgerald]

[..It displayed every part of it's plumage,
under and over as if it was deliberately demonstrating it's identification credentials!

It was a Japanese Snipe. Not Common at all.

So that little debate is well-and-truly put to bed.

Hi Paul,
Could you elaborate on what your conclusion is based on? The underwing we now know (thanks Paul S) rules out common, but how did you rule out the other (probably much less likely) candidates?

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Don't those toes go beyond the tail tip (ruling our Latham's, or at least putting it in the category of "occasional apparent exceptions")?

[Michael]

As I said on the other Hamilton Snipe topic (I'm getting mixed up with all these snipe topics!!) that the Swinhoe's Snipe (Galingo megala) is the only snipe species recognised as commonly reported in brackish waters of the three snipe species, including Japanese Snipe, in Australia (Simpson and Day Field Guide To The Birds Of Australia 8th Edition). Pin-Tailed's are seen only on the western half of Aus, while Swinhoe's is common from Cape York Peninsular (the big pointy bit at the top right) through to Shark Bay (about half way down on the west side), and are regarded as a moderately common visitor. They have the tail-protruding legs seen in the flight pictures, so just putting it out there that Swinhoe's are a runner up.

[Paul G]

Still in situ on the roadside canal bank today, usual spot in the vicinity of the first yellow pole with the solar
panel on top.
Same behaviour as previous days- bird sits tight when vehicle passes, but bursts out from the rocks at the
waters edge if a pedestrian walks past, flies in an arc to the opposite bank, or doubles back to the roadside
water's edge a little further along. The bird is faithful, almost obsessive, about this exact spot. It soon
returns to the same location, where it can generally be found.

Neil- my identification was just on the basis of the barred underwing, and the shape of the rear end, which is
long, extended and bold. The tail is so broad and prominent that it looks like a playing card being extended
out the back end, like a magician doing a card trick. Would I be right in thinking that the other two have
a more truncated and attenuated 'pointy' rear end? And yes, the probabilities are weighted towards the
default bird for New Zealand, Japanese Snipe. My only other 'shortlisted' possibility was Common Snipe,
but now I've seen the underwing so well, that's out of the window.
But this is just common sense stuff, not scientific analysis. I'm just a birder!
cheers
Paul

[Oscar Thomas]

What tide times would be best? Does it matter for the snipe?

[Paul G]

What tide times would be best? Does it matter for the snipe?

Hi Oscar
I dunno if there's a 'best' time, but I've been there several times in the latter part of the day,
when the tide was receding, about halfway down. The bird is on the sewage lagoon feeder
canal, so although that is drained daily, it's not strictly tidal. Never missed it yet.
cheers
Paul

[Oscar Thomas]

Thanks Paul, if I'm lucky I'll be able to check soon!

[RussCannings]

Third time was not the charm unfortunately. Patrolled the usual area from 5-530 with no snipe scoped, binned, flushed, heard, or sniffed.

There was a sharpie in the canal right beside the yellow pole but that was about it for waders (other than stilts).

Russ C