Painted Snipe at Whites Road Wetland

Late on Sunday news came out of four Painted Snipe (an uncommon summer visitor to South Australia) had been seen at Whites Road Wetland.  This is a bird I hadn't seen for many years, so I headed down this morning to try and find them. 

Eventually I spotted three Painted Snipe deep in a tangled sedge bed, got the telescope on them for about ten seconds and off they flew!  

I searched for a couple of hours, but no joy.   The consolation prize was a very confiding Laughing Kookaburra, showing just how well camouflaged this large bird can be.

On the way back to the car I saw a lone Black-fronted Dotterel and some Fairy Martins picking up mud for nest building.

I decided to give the Snipe another try this evening.  A repeat performance. Short views and then off they flew, only this time they settled on the far bank.  I walked round and found them bathing in the shallows, before they flew again this time across a small channel.  A bit of stalking and a few more pics. Success!  Not the greatest pics as I was shooting through grass and trees most of the time.