Bog Myrtle & Peat

The last twenty four hours has been very unusual. Woken at half past one this morning by the sound of calling snipe, I looked out of my bedroom into the gloomy cloud cover. I was clearly not going to see anything, but over the next twenty minutes, four other snipe passed overhead, calling until they were out of earshot to the south. I returned to bed by two o clock, but when I got up this morning and went out to see the ferrets shortly after sunrise, another snipe passed over.

Up on the hill this evening, about half an hour after sunset, the sky was ringing to the screeching sound of snipe moving all over the place. I know that snipe migrate, but could this be what I’m seeing and hearing? Perhaps my birds are moving south for the winter and new birds are moving in? Whatever they’re up to, they’re certainly being quite vocal about it. If any readers can shed some light on this, I’d be very interested to hear what you have to say…