snipe

stevoman

does anybody know when the snipe generally begin to make their way back to our marshes, wetlands and bogs?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Your question confuses me. They never leave those environs.

stevoman

Raelyn Inexpensive Starfish wrote: »

Your question confuses me. They never leave those environs.

well i hunt my dog on lowland marshes and bog all winter and during winters there is an abundance of them, but once the spring seems to come in the seem to head elswhere. what im wondering is what time of year do the birds begin to return to lowland areas such as bogs, rushes and wet fields. they are a bird i much enjoy looking at taking into flight aswell as a great game bird and a joy to watch my setter hunt up and set sent on.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They never leave those wetland areas. Natrually they disperse somewhat for the breeding season and in winter can congregate around the edges of pools in well-vegetated wetlands.
I love the idea of you wanting to know when they'll be back so you can kill them.

NoNameRanger

Raelyn Inexpensive Starfish wrote: »

They never leave those wetland areas. Natrually they disperse somewhat for the breeding season and in winter can congregate around the edges of pools in well-vegetated wetlands.

The irish population is boosted in the winter as we get migrating birds in from the Scandinavian countries and the same applies to woodcock. We have both species breeding in Ireland in small numbers but there is a significant increase in the population in the winter due to migration. They will start to arrive from early October depending on conditions.

I love the idea of you wanting to know when they'll be back so you can kill them.

We all have our own ways of appreciating wildlife and enjoying the countryside. I didn't hear him mention shooting them either, although he mostly likely does, but i'm sure he would do it within the open season. Each to their own.:D

stevoman

Raelyn Inexpensive Starfish wrote: »

They never leave those wetland areas. Natrually they disperse somewhat for the breeding season and in winter can congregate around the edges of pools in well-vegetated wetlands.

funny i thought they moved upland as during winter months there is an abundbace of snipe on the bogs, where there is not one now. i spend a huge amount of time walking the bogs and fields and have not come across any where there does be hundreds in winter.

Raelyn Inexpensive Starfish wrote: »

I love the idea of you wanting to know when they'll be back so you can kill them.

cheers, but the snipe season starts nov 1st and ends 31st of january. what im wondering is when the generally start to return to boglands and marsh en masse so i can run my do and watch her hunt them up and set them and watch the dog work.

stevoman

NoNameRanger wrote: »

The irish population is boosted in the winter as we get migrating birds in from the Scandinavian countries and the same applies to woodcock. We have both species breeding in Ireland in small numbers but there is a significant increase in the population in the winter due to migration. They will start to arrive from early October depending on conditions.

thanks Noname, i had a feeling there wer'nt dissapearing into thin air! The numbers in summer are virtually zero during summer months on boglands and marshes. so october seems to be the time they start to migrate. Great im looking forward to watching them rise again.

NoNameRanger wrote: »

We all have our own ways of appreciating wildlife and enjoying the countryside. I didn't hear him mention shooting them either, although he mostly likely does, but i'm sure he would do it within the open season. Each to their own.:D

Again thanks for the understanding, yes during shooting season times i love to hunt them, especially when you can see the setter using her nose to find them. (trying to hit them is a whole other story though). Its great for them as it keep there numbers in very large quantitys and you still get the bonus of watching your setter making a lovely set.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

stevoman wrote: »

The numbers in summer are virtually zero during summer months on boglands and marshes.

I think you're still missing the point. Snipe are resident and not migratory (although their numbers increase in Winter - as do starlings and robins for example). It's not like waiting for certain migratory geese to return. They are still to be found throughout the bogs and wetlands. I can rise at least a half dozen on my evening walks through our nearby marsh at this time of year. They breed throughout the country.

I have no problem with you hunting them in season but was just tickled to be asked when they'd return so you could do so. It's like when I'n surveying an area and hunters will actually ask me what's about and in what numbers. I usually tell them I'm there to conserve the birds not offer them on a plate. No slight was intended.
BK

bing3

I think it all depends on weather conditions. Down here in Durrow I tend to see them in greater numbers after a couple days of heavy rain (all too frequently recently:rolleyes:) as it tends to make foraging a lot easier for them.
Certainly come October and November they do seem a lot more visible I guess in part due to migration numbers but also because the ground is softer. We also get large numbers of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Curlew here which I guess may also attract them to an area......

stevoman

bing3 wrote: »

I think it all depends on weather conditions. Down here in Durrow I tend to see them in greater numbers after a couple days of heavy rain (all too frequently recently:rolleyes:) as it tends to make foraging a lot easier for them.
Certainly come October and November they do seem a lot more visible I guess in part due to migration numbers but also because the ground is softer. We also get large numbers of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Curlew here which I guess may also attract them to an area......

i completly forgot about them! :eek: there are a lovely sight in flight.

meathstevie

Raelyn Inexpensive Starfish wrote: »

I think you're still missing the point. Snipe are resident and not migratory (although their numbers increase in Winter - as do starlings and robins for example). It's not like waiting for certain migratory geese to return. They are still to be found throughout the bogs and wetlands. I can rise at least a half dozen on my evening walks through our nearby marsh at this time of year. They breed throughout the country.

I have no problem with you hunting them in season but was just tickled to be asked when they'd return so you could do so. It's like when I'n surveying an area and hunters will actually ask me what's about and in what numbers. I usually tell them I'm there to conserve the birds not offer them on a plate. No slight was intended.
BK

As a hunter I'd ask exactly the same if I bumped into you while you're surveying for the simple reason that I'd like some confirmation or correction of my own impression of what's in an area. From a conservation point of view there's only gains to be made from this. I know for example that there's a very limited number of partridge around where I shoot but since their numbers are so limited I won't even consider pulling at them, open season or not.