I would just like to give a little of my context as to how special these are. Not that my story is special. My first observation of this species was 4 males
together during the BOCA Christmas camp at Balmoral in December 1972 (my first ever birdy camp). I was with a group of people and if I was alone I probably would not have been able to know what they were or have been believed. I think the group spontaneously
found them (McGlashans Lake). The next time was to visit the well known one in a Melbourne park (I think near Heidelberg) this was either in 1997 or 2003, for now I can’t find the information. Anthea Fleming took us there. It was a planned stop over visit
on either of my trips to Tasmania. The only other times I have encountered them are those as detailed by Geoffrey below, especially the 2011 event. And although I thought I might be seeing the one last week it was so far away and hiding, I could not be sure.
So I have never actually found one of these birds, apart from it having been found by others first. None found on all those formal surveys requested by BA that Malcolm Fyfe organised.
Philip
From: Canberrabirds [
On Behalf Of John and Kathy
Sent: Friday, 8 January, 2021 11:38 AM
To: 'Geoffrey Dabb'; 'COG list'
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Painted Snipe this morning
Hi Geoffrey,
An excellent summary. Your memory is better than mine as I couldn’t recall all these instances. As it happens, Kathy and my first ever observation for Painted
Snipe was at Kellys Swamp and it was on 14 Oct 2007.
Regards,
John and Kathy
Watson
From: Canberrabirds [
On Behalf Of Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Friday, 8 January 2021 9:15 AM
To: 'Philip Veerman'; 'COG list'
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Painted Snipe this morning
Steve Wallace and I were discussing the other morning how many records we remembered at Kellys. I made it 5 including this pair, but others might know of more, and how many have passed by unseen? The first I caught on
video when it was picked up by the Phantom ACT Tickers near the channel, a single male, about 2009 (not sure exactly). Then the 3 in Dec 2011, first reported by Harvey Perkins, whose other valuable contributions include the names on the hides. Then the female
near ‘Bittern’, picked up by Steve Holliday early one morning. Many will remember the male the following year on the shingle island, rather difficult to see, but usually described by reference to ‘The Dock’. Now this pair, first reported by Steve. Lindsay’s
photo is of a male facing the photographer directing the ‘butterfly’ warning display at a Spotted Crake, a sufficiently common behaviour for it to be illustrated in the Australian Bird Guide.
From: Canberrabirds <>
On Behalf Of Philip Veerman
Sent: Thursday, 7 January 2021 6:30 PM
To: 'COG list' <>
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Painted Snipe this morning
“APS” yes, suitable for our city. In looking at the photo from Lindsay, I decided to check a book first (though I didn’t doubt it). Finding APS is not immediate.
Tried the index: Not under S because it isn’t a snipe. Couldn’t find under P either, though Painted Finch & Honeyeater are there. It is under A, along with other “A” birds.
And yes the photo from Brian is really good for such a hard species to find. There had been surveys for APS there for years and we never found one.
Philip
From: Canberrabirds
On Behalf Of Sue Lashko via Canberrabirds
Sent: Wednesday, 6 January, 2021 7:18 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Painted Snipe this morning
Just back from Kelly Swamp. No sign of the A P-S pair but I counted 29 Latham's Snipes and 13 Spotted Crakes including one pair with 2 chicks, all in the vicinity of the previous A P-S sightings..
On Wed, 6 Jan 2021 at 17:42, Brian Jones via Canberrabirds <> wrote:
Here is a photo of the pair from Monday about 8am. They were a long way away (on the western side of Kelly Swamp) and mostly hidden in vegetation so hard to get a decent
shot.
Brian
On Tuesday, 5 January 2021, 9:06:50 pm AEDT, Philip Veerman <> wrote:
I was there on one day in the last week and didn't knowingly see them (I wondered but was too distant). Anyway I am sure from your photo, that it is the
Aust Painted-snipe.
Philip
-----Original Message-----
From: Canberrabirds [ On Behalf Of Lindsay & Diana
Sent: Tuesday, 5 January, 2021 2:26 PM
To:
Subject: Painted Snipe this morning
Can anyone who witnessed the wing stretches before I arrived this morning, confirm this is the snipe. It refused to give me head views. It was in the same location.
Lindsay Nothrop
