Snipe in the news

February 03, 2016

Hi everyone,

Work by BirdLife Southern Highlands (BLSH) counting snipe in the East Bowral Botanic Gardens and adjacent areas of the Mittagong Creek has featured in the Southern Highland News, and then on social media. Snipe have been counted three times a year by BLSH members since 2011, and they have been working with the local council to include snipe habitat into the development plans for the gardens.

See the original article here: http://www.southernhighlandnews.com.au/story/3697008/learn-more-about-snipes/

Later this month, Richard Chamberlain will give a talk to BLSH about the current work in Port Fairy and share information about survey methods and snipe behaviour. We hope that this will lead to greater collaboration between the two groups, and that the BLSH will contribute to the Latham’s snipe monitoring network being established across south-eastern Australia.

Other news relevant for snipe was the release last month of the ‘Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds’ by the federal Department of the Environment (featuring a snipe on the cover, which was a bonus!). The document sets out the important habitats for migratory shorebirds in Australia, the main threats to the group and actions for the protection, conservation and management of each species. Due to Latham’s snipe’s aberrant ecology (for a migratory shorebird), some sections of the document are much more relevant than others. Overall, it provides good support for many of the conservation and actions we, and other groups around the country, are undertaking.

The full plan is available here: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/wildlife-conservation-plan-migratory-shorebirds-2016

Snipe should be putting on fat reserves and starting to head north in preparation for migration back to their breeding grounds. Already we’re seeing reports of snipe from Queesland, and a corresponding decline in reports from Tasmania and southern Victoria. So keep a look out on your local patch as they pass through or leave, and let us know – we’re always keen to hear of sightings (send them to djdwilson@gmail.com or b.hansen@federation.edu.au).

Thanks, the Latham’s snipe team.

Header image provided by Peter Grenfell of snipe at Powling Street wetlands, Port Fairy.