These presumed Gallinago delicata snipe were photographed near Fort Worth, Texas
in late October, 2001:
A) This individual was very large - obviously larger than the
five other snipe at the same small pool:
- based on Chandler, "North Atlantic Shorebirds",
the tip of the innermost median covert indicates that it is a
juvenile:
Although there may be some Photographic Size Illusion at play
below, the birds are far enough apart (and quite close to the
observer) that the more-distant bird on the right should appear
smaller than it truly is in relation to the much closer bird on
the left - yet it looks significantly larger; this was evident
with the naked eye and incomparison to other snipe just further
away than the large bird:
B) note the pattern of fringing on the lesser/median coverts;
they are strongly angled, to form rounded "V"s - this
is supposed to be strongly indicative of G. gallinago:
C) Note the very dark-bodied bird at the top of this flock; could
this be a "Sabine's Snipe" ?:
