Jack Snipe at Tewinbury

It has been a fairly poor winter for Jack Snipe. The traditional sites have drawn a blank and it is only recently that Jacks have started to appear with one at Lemsford Springs and another two at Tewinbury. The latter site has had the more consistent sightings and there I set off on a rather dull day to try my luck.

I immediately found the bird right in front of me, bobbing up and down but largely obscured by reedmace. I picked up my camera to get set up, but when I looked back it had gone. Apparently, in this short time, it had swam across to the side of the pool and, whilst visible, still heavily obscured by overhanging vegetation. It is a fact that if Jack Snipe didn't bob up and down, they would be virtually impossible to see.

Eventually, the bird moved into a gap and I was able to get some shots. Note the dark crown. A common Snipe would have a golden stripe down the centre.