Snipe Survey

January 19, 2020

The last Latham’s Snipe survey was held Saturday 18th January, and at last we had some snipe to count!

The water level has dropped significantly over the last couple of weeks and this has exposed a bit of good feeding ground for the snipe.

Eight counters from the Millicent Field Naturalists and the Lake McIntyre Management Committee met on Saturday at 7.00am. The first snipe was spotted shortly
after the survey had begun, and we were lucky to count eight snipe from all around the lake before the survey concluded about an hour later.

Following an enjoyable morning tea, a full bird count of the lake and its surrounds was conducted. Full bird counts have been undertaken on a regular monthly
basis at Lake McIntyre for many years. These records enable us to keep track of the birds that are resident at the lake, and those that migrate seasonally,
such as the Latham’s Snipe.

The lake’s water level is an integral part of the data we record when counting the birds, giving us a greater understanding of which birds vist the lake,
when they visit, and which birds breed at the lake.

Over the entire morning we manged to count just over 50 different species of birds, including Nankeen Night Heron (9), White-faced Heron, Little Pied and
Little Black Cormorants, Blue-billed Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Musk Duck as well as Chestnut and Grey Teal. There were still some Royal Spoonbills
present with numerous Australian White and Straw-necked Ibis, with the usual Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot and even two Black-tailed
Native-hen!

Bush birds are aslo counted, and on Saturday these included the ever present Red and Little Wattlebirds, Superb Fairy-wrens, Silvereyes, New Holland Honeyeaters
and Brown Thornbills. Some welcome returns included Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Red-browed finch and Stiated Pardalote.

Although no photographs were taken on the day, I have included some bird photos taken at the lake on prior occassions.