{"id":10603,"date":"2025-12-30T19:34:55","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T02:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matchgrun.com\/blog\/?p=10603"},"modified":"2025-12-30T19:34:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T02:34:56","slug":"wilsons-snipe-at-south-platte-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matchgrun.com\/blog\/2025\/12\/30\/wilsons-snipe-at-south-platte-river\/","title":{"rendered":"Wilson’s Snipe At South Platte River"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last week, I made a trip to South Platte Park for some bird photography. During the winter months, many duck species can be found at this location. During a previous visit, some Kildeer were having some interesting interactions that I had witnessed. Maybe I would see something different this time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On this day, Kildeer were wading along the sandbar and river side. There was another shorebird moving close to the Kildeer. With a long straight bill, this looked like maybe a snipe or a dowitcher?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"3309-0011-Snipe-With-Kildeer-South-Platte-River\"
Snipe With Kildeer, South Platte River.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

One getting home, I confirmed that this bird was a Wilson’s Snipe. I don’t recall seeing one along this stretch of the river previously. Both Kildeer and Snipe are well-camouflaged, especially against the sandbar and muddy shore. Easy to miss when they are not moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I decided to wait and see whether the Snipe would move out into the water. Yes. And a captured this image with its long straight bill.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"3309-0014-Wilsons-Snipe-South-Platte-River\"
Wilson’s Snipe, South Platte River.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Soon both the Snipe and Killdeer were working along the shore, foraging for food in the mud.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"3309-0032-Snipe-And-Kildeer-Foraging\"
Snipe And Kildeer, Foraging.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I was watching and waiting to see what would happen. Unexpectedly, another Snipe (No. 2) came running in from the left hand side of this pair. I managed to capture one image of this second snipe with its foot raised in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"3309-0051-Wilsons-Snipe-No-2-South-Platte-River\"
Wilson’s Snipe No. 2, South Platte River.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Again, I just watched and waiting until Snipe No. 2. Maybe it would head for open water?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"3309-0055-Wilsons-Snipe-No-2-At-River-Shore\"
Wilson’s Snipe No. 2 At River Shore.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Yes. And I managed to capture a decent reflection as this bird stepped through the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What luck! Two Wilson’s Snipe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week, I made a trip to South Platte Park for some bird photography. During the winter months, many duck species can be found at this location. During a previous visit, some Kildeer were having some interesting interactions that I had witnessed. Maybe I would see something different this time? On this day, Kildeer were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[2071,2067,2070,1932,28,25,2069,2068,1742,1020,306,2066],"class_list":["post-10603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-general","tag-foraging","tag-killdeer","tag-long-bill","tag-mud","tag-reflections","tag-river","tag-sandbar","tag-shore","tag-snipe","tag-south-platte","tag-water","tag-wilsons-snipe"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t