Thursday 19 January 2012

Grassland birds

Acting on another tip from a "Big Year" birder, I found myself wandering a field near where I live. Considering it's proximity and the lack of other good birding locations nearby I may just be a frequent visitor to that field.

My main target bird was Greater Painted Snipe:

Photo from Wikipedia

The only Snipe species where the female is more colourful than the male(?) I didn't find the bird but I'm sure if I keep going it will eventually turn up - they're resident birds and the field is only so big.

I was rewarded with some other decent birds such as an unexpected Long-tailed Nightjar, 2 Common Snipes and several Zitting Cisticolas:


Oriental/Paddyfield Pipits were common and well hidden:


Little Egrets:

Cattle Egret:

The field: