Here's a dilemma for you ... It's Jack Snipe Time . I used to "get" my Jack Snipe ticked for the year by two different methods. [a] Go down to the estuary at high tide. Walk along said tideline. After 88 years a Jack Snipe whooshes into view. Some times it doesn't. Some times it's only an hour or so. And a very cold hour generally. But I don't feel it's right these days. So I don't do it any more. [b] The Second Way ( sounds v. oriental that) is .. There is a well-known bit of marshy marsh known for Jack Snipes. You park the car. You get your wellies on. You walk across said marshy bit. Usually, after about 15 mins, one gets flushed up and flies off. I don't feel good about doing that either. So I don't do that any more either. These days. And here's another thing ... just 10 minutes from my Flintshire mansion, there's a nice big muddy pond in a field .... and in't winter there's Snipes there, and the odd Jack Snipe. Aha ! Well, a certain person, we'll call him-her a nice neutral name like "Sam" apparently counted about 40 Snipes there and 1 Jack Snipe at 11am on a recent survey visit. Aha ! I go by that pond fairly frequently, and you very rarely see any of those snipes. They're retiring creatures generally, and don't tend to draw our attention. When I say "rarely see them" I mean, hardly ever at all ..almost never. None this year, for a start. So ..how did " Sam" get that count ? I hope he waited for hours and hours until all 40 Snipes and that single Jack Snipe were all on view at once. Very bloody likely. At 11 am !! I could "get" them easily enough .... it would take about 5 mins to walk across to the pond, make a racket, chuck a few rocks .... up they come. A starting pistol* might do the job without any "in-field action ." Just saying ! But here's the thing !! Surely I should just add it to my list. I know they're there to be found. Other people do it. It's a marginal example of "railings round the park" These days " nice" people lose out. And the "nasty" people don't. 143-railings-round-the-park.html * I've always thought that they should be called "Startling Pistols"
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AuthorThat's the author up there ... I was young and sprightly then. Archives
October 2022
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