Flashes of white, snow, ice...and a guilt trip

 It's been pretty cold here as of late so my green birding opportunities have been limited. I've had some fun though sifting through House Finches at the feeder hoping for a Purple Finch (no luck yet) and playing with my camera to try to set it figured out a bit more (some luck). This past Sunday I went to the gym after breakfast. After I got done, I decided to take the slightly longer way home through agricultural fields just to the west. People have reported some Snow Buntings in my home county so I figured, why not? Birds tend to be drawn to gravel roads when it snows (which it was at the time). About halfway home - flashes of white in a flock of birds caught my eye - Snow Buntings! 

Lovely day for a walk?!?

I got home and did some stuff around the house, eager to get back out there. Unfortunately, fresh snow and ice ruled out using my bike - just not safe. While only around a mile as the crow flies, a hike would be around 2 miles each way to where I saw them because of private property, etc. But, why not? I have the winter gear, and that's not a bad walk. I started getting my gear on. Immediately, the dogs thought they were getting a walk. Nope, sorry guys, not right now, but I promised them I'd take them after I got back. Off I went, squeezing through the door as they tried to follow.

Chickadees and House Finches flushed from the feeders as I walked out of the house - and I could feel the stares coming from the dogs from the window behind me, no need to look back to confirm. I was able to cut across the ice to clip off about a half mile each way, which was good. Walking across frozen lakes is always kind of fun too. Gives you a different perspective on the landscape. I jumped up on to the road and started across the frozen cropland. 

Almost immediately, I saw shapes picking at the gravel on the side of road - birds! Were these my Snow Buntings? I got my binoculars on them and realized that they were something else - Lapland Longspurs. Wasn't expecting those - a nice surprise. I tried snapping a few pictures between flushes as cars continually stirred them up. Then I heard a high pitched whistle behind me, and more birds joined the flock bouncing down the road - Horned Larks! Another new green year species. I managed to get a couple of passable photos, including some neat ones in flight. Starting to get the hang of this photography thing a bit better, but need to practice focusing, etc. Snowflakes and bad light made it challenging. 

Horned Larks jumping up in front of a passing car

After sifting through the flock several times, I couldn't find any Snow Buntings. Back to the hike. After about another mile I got to the spot where I saw the flock earlier - nothing but the wind, flakes, and another person out for a wintery hike. I kept going, with the cell tower at the top of the hill being my designated stopping point. There are a few conifers next to it that I could check for owls. 

Not a single bird the rest of the way up to the tower. I checked the conifers - they weren't that great once I got close, pretty sparse needles. Not really something an owl would be drawn to to get out of the wind/cold. A Bald Eagle flew overhead as I started the walk back. The wind was at my back a bit more now at least, which made it somewhat easier to see without snow flying in my eyes. 

I got back to the spot where I saw the buntings in the car again - nothing. Just a flock of pigeons on a nearby silo. Not what I was looking for. I walked a little further and then saw some more shapes in the grass, down a bit low out of the wind. A bigger flock this time, around 30-35 birds. Some did a quick hop and opened their wings - flashes of white. Buntings! I was thrilled! I crept up on them taking pictures as I went - and then my camera battery died. I did get some decent photos of the mixed longspur/bunting flock, but a bit frustrating to wonder if I could have got better ones. Oh well. Content with three new green species, I picked up the pace and walked back home. 

Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs, finding food in the ditch grass. See if you can count the buntings!

I cut back across the lake and stopped briefly. Not because I was tired, but because I was getting too hot! I've actually found that getting too hot is a bigger problem than getting cold on my first handful of trips. Sweat and zero degree windchill don't mix. Slow down, Andy. Plus - more likely to hear things like maybe  a crossbill (?) flying by. Or maybe not. :) At least this time.

But what about our walk? Ginger was having trouble holding still. 

I got home without any trouble and opened the door, and there it was. Two of the saddest, most neglected dogs in history waiting for me at the top of the stairs. I should never of doubted they'd hold me to my promise. A quick walk in the snow and lots of sniffing and looking for disgusting frozen things made their day. Then a nice nap for all of us. 

5 miles walked, 3 new green species brought me up to 48 green species for 2025. Thanks for reading!