Highlight of December 2013, Shelf Moor Snipe

      Fields around the trailer park Queensbury became alive with Snipe

                                        Skies alive

                 A record of 48 were counted at one count

                                 Numbers now dwindled down

                 Queensbury Snipe don,t come better than this

To finish off the year I,ve put what to me was the highlight of the last few weekends in December when Snipe invaded the Shelf Moor trailer park area in a big way. When they first arrived they were more open, feeding in the open fields and flying around in flocks but as the month went on they became less conspicuous keeping down in the juncus and if flushed flying directly across the road to their roosting site.
The Snipe were more numerous around last light than during the day and one late afternoon I had the amazing experience of seeing 48 birds in the sky together before dropping down into the horse field near to the farm.
Numbers have steadily dwindled dropping to 20+, then 15 and the last two checks have produced 4 then 3 birds although motorcross bikes in a nearby field possibly played a part in this.
Possibly the numbers will rise again as long as the area doesn,t freeze over but I,ll not be checking them again until next year, ( tomorrow ).

So heres wishing you all a very Healthy and Happy New Year with the hope that the birding god is kind to you in providing the goods. We,ve a good local team covering the area so hopefully we,ll crack some records during 2014.
Don,t stay up too late tonight celebrating, there,s a new year full of birds waiting for you tomorrow, I,ll have to stay up to keep the dogs calm until the fireworks have finished after midnight, which is mega late for me, but I,ll be out there in the morning as soon as the daylight allows.
                 Thanks again for watching the blog and I,ll see you next year!!
BS.