Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe（Sept. 23, 2023） Bird Reports List--Wild bird photography and birdwatching on Okinawa Main Island and the Yaeyama Islands (Ishigaki Island, Iriomote Island, Taketomi Island, and more)

Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe

Sept. 23, 2023

Found a mixed flock of about ten birds — Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe. Scanning for Pin-tailed Snipe first, I turned up only two. Most were Swinhoe's Snipe, with two Common Snipe.

From there I settled in to try to photograph tail feathers, keeping an eye on my surroundings so as not to get in the way of the farmers working nearby, while staying focused on the snipe through the viewfinder and binoculars. It is more tiring than you might expect, but when you manage a clean tail-feather shot, it makes for a very satisfying day out. ^^

Pin-tailed Snipe

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile. A typical individual — no room for doubt.

Pin-tailed Snipe

Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe

Same individual as above.

Swinhoe's Snipe

This one is also an unambiguous Swinhoe's Snipe.

Swinhoe's Snipe

Same individual as above. The outer tail feathers were the narrow type, which made it doubly exciting!!

Swinhoe's Snipe

This one is also a Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe

Same individual as above.

Swinhoe's Snipe

It was the closest bird to me, but showed no sign of moving. Perhaps exhausted from just having arrived on migration.

Common Snipe

Common Snipe, juvenile.

Common Snipe

A Common Snipe being chased by a Pin-tailed Snipe (background). This Pin-tailed Snipe didn't bother the Swinhoe's Snipes, but it drove away every Common Snipe.