Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant.

Common Snipe have declined by 26% in Britain since 1995 due to habitat loss, the efficient drainage of low fields, loss of ponds and chemical spraying.

Foster (1914) described them as, “plentiful in the neighbourhood of Stevenage”.

In the 1960s they were recorded from, Box Wood, where one was seen flying over on 24 October 1965 and, the Old Sewage Works (now the site of the Roaring Meg Retail Park) on 3 January 1968 and, two seen there in 1969.

In the 1970s they were recorded from: a meadow by Ashdown Road in January and February 1977; Astonbury during the springs of 1973 to 1976 (with up to five seen on 7 and 8 April 1975 and, one put up in vegetation by the central, “pool” on 5 March 1976), one flushed from under the bridge over the a pool in the Wood on 26 November 1978, seen at Astonbury Pond in December 1978 and, in the meadow adjoining the Wood on 28 January 1979; Aston End February 1979; Fairlands Valley Lakes on 10 October 1975 and in November 1978; “Shephall Brook” nine seen on 2 January 1979; Symonds Green Water Meadow in the autumn of 1978; Town Centre one flying over on 18 March 1979.

In the 1980s and 1990s they were recorded from: Aston (where between 20 February and 16 March 1980 14 to 25 were recorded), Aston Brook on 27 and 28 January 1996; Astonbury 4 January and 9 March 1980; Norton Green Tip during the springs of 1989 to 1991, (with five seen on 10 April 1990).

Since 2000 they have been recorded from: Norton Green Tip; two seen on 30 March 2007; one on 5 April 2007; one on 2 January 2008; four on 27 March 2008; one on 28 March 2008; one on 12 April 2009; one on 28 November 2015; one on 16 January 2016; one on 2 January 2017; two on 31 August 2020; one on 26 February 2023; Fairlands Valley Lakes one seen between 21 and 24 September 2022; one on 12 December 2022; one flying over on 27 September 2023; Potters Spring six seen on a nearby, “set aside field” on 19 March 2024.

The 1973 Breeding Atlas considered breeding as possible from the tetrad covering Bragbury End and, the 1992 Atlas considered breeding as possible from the tetrads covering Norton Green and, Knebworth. The 2012 Atlas did not consider breeding as possible.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from the tetrad covering Norton Green.