Wilson's Snipe

7 June 2019 - wet and windy weather! 3C (windchill is -2C!). Snow falling in the mountains, but it looks like Calgary will be spared. Places like Canmore and Banff looked like winter wonderlands, and light flurries were even reported in the northwest corner of Calgary. Our crazy weather!

This afternoon, Flickr is so, so, soooo slow, it's practically impossible to use. Seemed OK this morning.

A couple of days ago, I was so relieved that I was all caught up with my recent photos, leaving me with just the last few days of our 13-day birding trip to South Texas to sort through, edit and post. Then I happened to check the weather forecast and discovered that we were in for a few days of rain. That settled it, I knew I had better go for a short drive, and ended up going to my 'usual' places.

Four of the birds I saw and was able to photograph were a Wilson's Snipe, a Black Tern on a fence post, a Mountain Bluebird against a field of yellow, and a female American Goldfinch who was hanging out with a pair of Bluebirds. I tried three or four short videos while trying to lean across from the driver's seat towards the passenger seat. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep myself steady, so the videos do bounce around far too much. Also, I find the red button on both cameras in a rather awkward place. I think I must have been already zoomed in when I started taking each video. I started taking a video or two on our South Texas trip and still haven't read up how to take video. I need to find out if videos are always this shape (so wide and not very high) and I need to think about whether to turn off the sound - I had hoped to catch the Snipe making its call, but all I got was the sound of my hazard lights clicking non-stop! Anyway, I'm posting them on Flickr so that I at least know where to find them if I ever want them.

By the time I got out SW of the city, a few dark clouds were rolling in and it was windy. I remember the wind slightly ruffling the Snipe's feathers, but the other three birds were having a hard time keeping their balance, especially the Tern.

Though these birds didn't come with the excitement of being lifers for me, I get just as much enjoyment from finding and taking photos of these birds that I have seen before, many times over the years. Which is just as well, as I so rarely see a new bird species, except for when I am fortunate enough to go on special trip like the one to South Texas. It also feels good to be able to share a few 'better' photos, when I post so many that are just record shots : )

"Though the long tradition of “snipe hunt” pranks at summer camp has convinced many people otherwise, Wilson’s Snipes aren’t made-up creatures. These plump, long-billed birds are among the most widespread shorebirds in North America. They can be tough to see thanks to their cryptic brown and buff coloration and secretive nature. But in summer they often stand on fence posts or take to the sky with a fast, zigzagging flight and an unusual “winnowing” sound made with the tail." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wilsons_Snipe/id

According to Fisher and Acorn's book, "Birds of Alberta", "the common Snipe is both secretive and well camouflaged, so few people notice it until it flushes suddenly from a nearby grassy tussock. As soon as the Snipe takes to the air, it performs a series of quick zigzags - an evasive maneuver designed to confuse predators. Because of this habit, Snipes were among the most difficult birds to shoot (in the days when shorebirds were hunted for sport), and skilled sportsmen were known as "snipers" - a term later adopted by the military."

youtu.be/Z16CUdX2g5Q