A Successful "Snipe Hunt"
By Dan Weisz All photos by Dan Weisz The old practical joke of sending someone on a "snipe hunt" began in the mid 1800s and has continued through the years. The idea was to send a friend on a fool's errand at night, hunting a mysterious and non-existent creature called a snipe. Well, Wilson's Snipes are real, shorebirds widespread throughout much of North America. They arrive in Tucson every winter but are hard to find due to their color, their habitat, and their secretive nature. I found a few Wilson's Snipes late in December at Sweetwater Wetlands. The harsh mid-day lighting made it tough for me to get good photos, but I do like this shot of a resting bird, its long beak tucked in on its back. Thanks to this year's successful burn to clear vegetation from Sweetwater, there is much more exposed water and mud flats than usual. As a result, this winter's snipe population is much easier to find. I returned to Sweetwater last week and found quite a few fa...
