13/04/2018 London Wetland Centre - Jack Snipe

Friday 13th April 2018
London Wetland Centre

I took the chance to visit the London Wetland Centre this afternoon where there had been several Jack Snipe sightings this week.

One of my targets for 2018 was to avoid flushing a Jack Snipe so that I could observe its behaviour in the habitat.  Every one of my sightings to date had been the result of flushing the bird and observing the resultant flight pattern.

• As I arrived at the Peacock Tower Hide, several birders were already watching one so it did not take long for me to find it in the scope.  True to form it was bobbing up and down and doing exactly what I hoped for.  Then it was stationary for 15-20 minutes before it was disturbed by a Moorhen, whereupon it started moving again and repeated the previous routine.  For the first time in my short birding life I was able to observe a Jack Snipe for over an hour!

• Prior to that I had been to the Scrape Hide where I saw my first Sand Martins of the year as they flew into the nest bank.  On the way back I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year.
• The obligatory Ring-necked parakeet was also nice to see.

Friday 13th was certainly not unlucky for me!