Bokje Lymnocryptes minimus: onbeschreven prooisoort voor de Torenvalk Falco tinnunculus?

On 6 November 2003, a Jack Snipe was captured on the ground by a male Eurasian Kestrel shortly after it had landed. The Jack Snipe’s flight had been invoked by birdwatchers, and had covered some 30 metres at a height of several metres. Presumably, the Kestrel had seen the event, and opportunistically had taken advantage to capture an otherwise well-hidden prey. At the time, some 25 Jack Snipes stayed in this small nature reserve near Wassenaar in the western Netherlands. As few other avian prey species were present, the chances of Jack Snipes getting killed by predators may have increased somewhat. Similar incidents involving failed catching attempts of Jack Snipes that were initially disturbed by birdwatchers were recorded for Eurasian Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus and Northern Goshawk A. gentilis. Elsewhere in The Netherlands, pluckings of Jack Snipes have been recorded for Merlin Falco columbarius (twice) and Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor (once).