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Latham's Snipe in the Blue Mountains

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Subject: Latham's Snipe in the Blue Mountains
From: <>
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:56:35 +1000
G'day all,

Yesterday arvo about 5pm had a great sighting of a Latham's Snipe at Woodford 
in the Blue Mountains (about 85 kms west of Sydney).

 I flushed the bird from the side of a small dam on Garnet Creek and it took 
off in it's very erratic flight, my immediate thought was Brown Quail but 
realised it was way too big. The bird flew about 30 m away to a small bank and 
landed. In flight I had a glimpse of the  unusually long beak, the flash of 
orangy rufous tail and the cryptic plumage. It stayed on the bank for about 30 
sec. and I had a good look at it.

It then wandered into the scrub out of sight and I crept over for a better 
look. When I got near to where I thought it was I heard it's frog like call and 
it took off again.

Garnet Creek is a swampy creek which has been dammed at one point right at the 
edge of the National Park. It has produced some unusual birds for me over the 
years, including Plumed Whistling Duck, Southern Emu-Wren and now Latham's 
Snipe.

 I can find no record of any other sightings in the Blue Mountains but there 
are a couple of other suitable habitats - freshwater swampy wetlands - like 
Wentworth Falls Lake and Glenbrook Lagoon.

Also, heard then saw my first Black-faced Monarch of the season today at 
Murphy's Glen. Migrants seemed to have taken advantage of the warmer weather 
arriving a bit earlier this year. Saw a Leaden Flycatcher here at Woodford on 
the 14th.

Cheers,

Mark Ley
Woodford, Blue Mountains.
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