Yesterday morning ( Monday 4 November 2024) the first monthly Snipe flush count of the winter season was carried out.
The majority of these birds that we see in the reserve, come in from Northern and Eastern Europe as the weather gets colder and overwinter here.
The survey team walk in a line through the four fields that Common Snipe and Jack Snipe use and record all the individuals that are flushed from the rushes. These well camouflaged birds are very difficult to spot, so this is the most efficient way of recording their numbers. Fairfield holds nationally important numbers of these two species.
As the weather is still very mild, we didn’t expect many birds yet.
We found:
- 1 Common Snipe in Hay Meadow
- 1 in Upper Sowerholme
- 7 in School Pond
- 21 in Big Meadow
Total: 30 Common Snipe.
No Jack Snipe as yet.