Western Australian Bird Notes Quarterly Newsletter of the WA Group Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union Ill Latham's Snipe Confirmed In South-West 111 On February 6th 1!X3 Doug W@ans, with Tony Kirkby This is the second Girllinago snipe to be positively identi- and Cdin Davis, mist-netted a snipe (Gallinago sp.) at Lake fied in the south west - a Pintail Snipe was mist-netted near Kogolup. On examination the bird was found to have 18 tail Osborne Park in 1984. feathers and a wing measurement of 163 mm.The bird was a Swinhoe's Snipe may well visit the south west I have seen Latham's Snipe, the first confinned identif~cationin the south six snipe in the Pexih Metropditan awa since 1989but have not of WA. been able to identify my with certainty as examination in the Three species of Gallinago snipe are known to occur in hand is the only reliable method of identification. Australia, Latham's Snipe. Swinhoe's Snipe and Pintail Snipe. Originally seen by the author an January 2 lst, the Latbam's In the field these birds appear virtually identical, but in the hand Snipe was observed feeding. far from cover. The bird was they have distinct differences. as fdlows: probing its long bill into the mud with a "sewing machine" dm.At times it was seen to preen and a good Gptionwas Svecies No. Tail feathers Winp Len& obtained. Latham's Snipe 18 157-168 mm Swinhoe's Snipe 20 (18-26) 137-151 mm Head - eyestripe narrower than supercilium close to the Pintail Snipe 26 (24-28) 125-143 mm bill. (This feature does not vary except in Common Snipe, a possible visitor to Australia). Mantle and Coverts - beautiful mixture of black, brown and buff. This is very similarin 43snipe species, not a useful characteristic. Tertials - long, overlying primaries completely. Tail - long, protruding past the fdded wings, at times at a downward angle. Belly - white. Flanks - noticeably barred brown. Breast - tan. interspersed with dark chevrons. Underwing - white with black barring, a very distinctive pattern. Bill - dark. long greenish near the base. Legs - olive gnxn. In the hand the outer tail feathers were quite broad (see photograph), by comparison with Swinhoe's and Pintail Snipe where the outer tail feathers are reduced to "pins". Seen regularly over the next two weeks, the flight patterns rarely varied - normally flushing out of cover to fly direct and low, usually only short distances and on landing walking into Tail of Latham's Snipe mist-netted in SW cover. Otw it flew high when it joined a small group of Wood ': 1 Sadpipers for a short time, before breaking away to land close Black Honeyeater - 1.712193. Dryandra (Williams) (unusual to the take-off point. No zig-zagging was noted. The bud was this far south-west) - SN. CW,BN. RS heard to call on two occasions. making a hard "chak" on Red-eared Firetail - 4.2711193,John Forrest National Park flushing. (Mundaring) - HvW Initially, we thought the bud most likely to be a Swinhoe's Snipe, an identification mainly based on the flight characteris- tics. Neither the length of tertials nor the call seemed to fit but ARID ZONE (including the Pilbara, Gnrcoyne, interior and as a Latham's Snipe seemed unlikely we tended to favour Nullarbor) Swinhoe's. The mist net coditionof Latham's Snipe came Honry-headed Grebe - 5.9192,Rawlinna (Kalgoorlie-Bod- as a surprise. der) - TH * numerous nests with eggs, 191 1/93.salt lakes near J. Hunt Yalgoo (Yalgoo) (unusual breeding r&d) - SH. AC. PF Black Swan - nest with 5eggs. 19/1/93.salt lakes near Yalgoo ( A Latham's Snipe was reported in WABN No. 36,p7 Decem- (Yalgoo) (unusual breeding recurd) - SH. AC, PF ber 1985 and further commented upon in WABN No. 37 p7 Freckkd Duck - 2nests with eggs and 1 new nest on 24/101!32. March 1986.A good article on snipe identification in the field 2other nests and 1 new nest (all in lignum) on 611 1192 and 1 is in WABN No. 33 pp 6 & 7March 1984 and there is further brood of 6 on 12112192,in a lignum and melaleuca swamp. reference to Swinhoe's and Pin-tailed identification in WABN Thundelarra Station (Yalgoo) - PF, JBW 14 birds, 1 nest with No. 34 p9 June 1935.Editor.) * three eggs and one nest with 1 egg in clutch of 6eggs of Pink- Ir I eared Duck. 20-21111/92. in a lignum and melaleuca swamp. Thundelana Station (Yalgoo) - RJ. AC (Note: 9 probable Observations breeding records of this specie here this season is one of the I largest breeding efforts known in WA) Compiled by the Observatians Committee. Shires in brackets. Chestnut Teal - 1 male. 1911193. salt lakes near Yalgoo (Yalgoo) - SH, AC, PF BluebilledDuck - nest with 12 eggs, 121 12/92,in a lignum and SOUTH-WEST(SharkBay to Cape Arid) melaleuca swamp, Thundelma Statisn (Yalgoo) (new breed- Cattle Egret - 2,811193,Lake Kogolup (Cockburn)- MBy, KC ing record for this area) *PF, JBW Rufous Night Heron - 20-25.1412193, Lake McLarty N.R. Musk Duck - 2,'15-191 11192, small lake 172 km fmPayne's (Murray)- IS and RAOU excursion Find on Sandstone road (Yalg~)- MC, GM Australasian Bittern - 1,211193,small swamp 3 km W of Grey Falcon - 1,9192.Plumidge Lakes N.R. (Menzies) - TH Lower King Bridge (Albany) - MB Australian Crake - 1,20111192,flushed from lignum and Glossy Ibis - 3,811193,Kogdup Lake (Cockburn) - MBy, KC canegrass in 0.7 m deep water, Thundelma Station (Yalgoo) Yellow-billed Spoonbill - about 100,14/2193.Lake McLa~ty -W N. R. (Murray) - IS and RAOU excursion Painted Snipe - feathers (greater coverts, tertials, mantle) of Australian Shelduck - 44500,2511 1192, Lake McLarty N.R. female, 2111 1/92,Melaleuca-lignum swamp, Thundelam Sta- (Murray) - MC tion (Yalgoo) (4th record south of the Tropic in WA in last 50 Chestnut Teal - 2males, 10/2/93, Lake Claranont (Claranont) Y-1 - RJ - MC Banded Lapwing - 102.212193.on beach at Eyre (Dundas)- Square-tailed Kite - 1.1 11 1193. Gosnells (Gosnells) - RS * 1, GW, RW 151 1/93,Beckenham (Canning) - JH Red-kneed Dotterel - 30t and 5nests with eggs (some at the Malleefowl - 2,2711193,Great Eastern Highway, 40 km E of base of lignum bushes). 2111 1192. on small islands among Merredin (Merredin) - RS Melaleuca trees. Melaleuca-lignum swamp, Thundelarra Sta- Hooded Plover - 1 juvenile, 1411 1192. Peel Inlet (Murray) - tion (Yalgoo) - AC, RJ RAOU excursion Oriental Plover - 29,212193.on beach at Eyre (Dundas) (high Whimbrel - 3,811193,Baldivis (Rockingham) - MBy, KC number for this area) - GW, RW Wood Sandpiper - 1,10/2/93,Lake Claremont (Claremont) - Inland Dotterel - 45 between Eyre and Cocklebiddy (Dundas) MC * 112. 1712193. Lake McLarty N.R. (Murray) - MC and 153 on the beach at Eyre (Dundas), 2/2/93- GW. RW /" 3, 1911 1192. , Oriental Pratincole - 3.811193 to at least late January. Baldivis Wood Sandpiper - Lake Miranda (Leonora) - water ski park (Rockingham) - TK MC, GM Possible Franklin's Gull - 1.1-312193,Bibm Lake (Cockbum) Common Sandpiper - 1,9192,Rawlinna (Kalgoorlie-Bod- - RbS. MC. BBa. KC, MBy (size, colour of bill, wing. mantle. der) - TH head, eye ring and trailing edge of wing consistent with Black-winged Stilt - several nests with eggs, 1911193, salt Franklin's) lakes near Yalgoo (Yalgoo) - SH, AC, PF Caspian Tern - 2,101U93,Lake Claremont (Claremont) - MC Whiskered Tern - 80. 19111192, Lake Miranda (Leonora) Fairy Tern - apparently breeding. Rous Head. Fremantle (htgh number for this area) - MC. GM * 2nests with eggs. 191 (Fremantle) - JD 1193,salt lakes near Yalgoo - SH, AC, PF Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo - 38,2911 1192, Stinton Cascades Gull-billed Tern - 6.1911 1192. Lake Miranda (Lemora) - MC, Reserve, (Armadale) - LH GM * 9 nests with eggs, 1911193. salt lakes near Yalgoo Purple-crowned Lorikeet - small flocks, Aug-Od92, Green- (Yalgoo) - SH, AC, PF wood (Wanneroo) - PJ Diamond Dove - 8,2011 1193, Wame River crossing, Payne's Yellow-throated Miner - up to 3.201 11192 - 1312193,Beldon Fmd-Sandstoneroad (Yalgoo) - MC. GM * 2.10-1512193. Eyre shopping centre (Wanneroo) (unusual in urban areas) - CW Bud Obs (Dundas) (rarely observed in this area) - GW, RW Cockatiel - 8,2311193,Caiguna (Dundas) (unusual this am)- DW Scarlet-chested Parrot - 1.8192 and 2.9192. PlumridgeLakes Members Contributions N.R. (Menzies) - TH Welcome Swallow - about 500. early Feb 93. Eyre Bird CARBLA STATION Observatory (Dundas) - GW, RW Late in Jammy we gained penniesimto camp by a running Fairy Martin - 2birds and 8nests under a large rock,31 12/92. bore about 170 kms south of Catnarvon on Carbla Station. The 39 km E of Rawlhma (Kalgoorlie-Boulder) - AB * an old (used) overnight stay pvedto be an excellent idea as we had seen few . nestingangex's hut,5/12/92.23km Eoflo<aganaw- birds the previous afternoon. Boulder) - AB * about 60 nests (same still in use) on buildings At first light Mulp Parrot flew over our camp and woke and numerous birds. 9112192, Rawlinna HS (Kalgoorlie- us. We set up watch westwards from the bore and were well Boulder) - MM. AB * 13 nests (2with large chicks). 2811193. rewarded. About fifty Mulga Parrot watered, bathed and flew Panniltin Plains Cave nr. Cocklebiddy (Dundas) - DW (there around us freely for about two hours. Many Little Grassbird. are very few previous martin breeding records from the CIamomua Reed Warbler and cme Buff-banded Rail sneaked in Null*, presumably they only breed there in really good and out of the reeds. The reed birds started dingammd 10 -=) am. Nullarbor Quail-thrush - 1.4112192.20 km E of Loongana In the first few hours of light we also saw (approximate (Kalgoorlie-Boulder)- AB * 2,5112192.2 km north of Reid numbers): 100 Budpigar, 30 Crimson Chat, 30 Spinydekd (Kalgmlie-Boulder) - AB * 1.6112192,46km S of Deakin Honeyeater.