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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Bird Identification 鳥類辨識 >>  Mystery Snipe - Long Valley
        
(Message started by: geoff_welch on Oct 29^th, 2005, 9:20am)

Title: Mystery Snipe - Long Valley
Post by geoff_welch on Oct 29^th, 2005, 9:20am

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/PhotoG/thomaschan/geoff_welch/geoff_welch_001.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/geoffwelch46/PintailSnipe.jpg

This snipe was photographed at Long Valley on Thursday 29th October. In flight it showed all the characteristics of a Pintail Snipe, but the overall colouration was a dark chocolate brown with some pale flecking on the back, no obvious scapular lines. It was a much darker brown than any other snipe.

Is this colouration common in Hong Kong? Apologies for the poor quality of the photo but it was taken with an ordinary digital camera at maximum magnification.

Geoff Welch

Title: Re: Strange coloured snipe at Long Valley
Post by Tony on Nov 2^nd, 2005, 12:15pm

I think it is quite difficult to tell you which snipe it is.
Snipe is difficult to identify with pictures only.

Title: Re: Strange coloured snipe at Long Valley
Post by geoff_welch on Nov 2^nd, 2005, 7:04pm

Thanks Tony. I think it's probably a Pintail/Swinhoe's Snipe from the flight characteristics when it flew. But can you comment on the very dark brown colour of the bird? It has no warm buff wash atall. I think this may be due to old and very worn feathers but I'm not sure as I've never seen one this dark before.