Doing some birding along the lakefront in Milwaukee this morning the highlight was a lone Snow Bunting. Finding it on the rocks at McKinley Beach, it then moved to a stony area with little grass on high ground. It fed continually while I was there eating grass and weed seeds on the ground. Stunning bird to see and watch eat too. These birds are easily seen along roadsides on the shoulder in the gravel after snow is plowed and also in open fields I would think where ever they can find seeds or insects if they are present. It was a mild December day, with sunny skies, winds were nothing as the big lake was calm, temps got into the 50’s. Images were taken on December 3, 2017.
The Snow Bunting
Snow Bunting
Binomial name: Plectrophenax nivalis
Category: Longspurs and Snow Buntings
Size: 6.75” long, 14” wing span
Weight: 1.5 oz
The look back…
Looking for the seeds and there were plenty…
Getting that seed on the ground between the two tiny stones…
Seed in the bill…
Looking for seeds…
Seed in the bill…
Straight on, look at the shape of that bill…
Cracking that seed…
Eating that seed…
With a seed in the bill…
The close-up
Cute little bird Jim and great images and story about the bird’s activities. Our backyard birds have been few and far between this fall, so it’s so delightful to see your photos of birds that I would never see otherwise. Thank you!
What a beautiful bird, and great photos, Jim! You just never know what the next treasure will be.