Hi All,
After getting some fantastic Snipe data from last season’s Canberra Snipe Surveys (thanks to all you committed surveyors), we thought for the upcoming season we would just survey our sites on the official Australian Snipe survey dates rather
than every month (simply because of the effort involved by everyone). I am therefore putting a call out to any volunteers who are keen to do their sites again this season or even include some new ones. It would be great to do some of the NSW sites as well
(eg. Collector Reserve and various places at Lake George) that turned up some high numbers.
The dates for survey are the 23rd September 2017, 25th November 2017 and the 20th January 2018. The surveys would need to be done on these actual days.
Remember that the nil Snipe counts are just as valuable as the Snipe counts. I will provide more specific details about the methodology once I know who is keen. It is effectively the same as last season.
Chris Davey and I (mostly Chris) have written up the Snipe survey data from last year, and when he returns from interstate we will put the final touches on it and make sure it is circulated to you all. There will also be an article in the
next Canberra Bird Notes about the whole Snipe project at large. This season we are not putting satellite trackers on the birds, but instead are going with radio transmitters and leg flags to get local data (with the help of our birders and photographers)
and geolocators to hopefully obtain some more migration data. This next phase is being supported by Rotary and the ACT Government. The Australia-Japan Foundation is also sending some of our Young Rangers to Japan to survey Snipe with the Wild Bird Society
of Japan and talk to fellow Japanese school kids about the birds and the project at large. Exciting times!
Finally I am also selling Snipe tea towels to help raise funds for the Snipe project. David Wilson, one of our “Snipers” from Port Fairy came up with a wonderful design – see attached. Let me know if you would like one. They are $15 each,
or $10 each if you buy 5 or more. They will make great Christmas pressies too.
Cheers Lori
Lori Gould
Program Manager
Woodlands and Wetlands Trust (Jerrabomberra Wetlands)
M: 0439030058
PO Box 58 Fyshwick ACT 2609
www.woodlandsandwetlands.org.au
