[mou] snow buntings in the twin cities

[Steve Weston]

Hi Ben,

Snow Buntings are being seen around the area.  I saw seven along with two or three Lapland Longspurs on January 1st in Washington County on Neal Avenue between 70th and 80th Streets.  But, these guys are highly mobile and probably would not be at that site.  You will do best not to chase down old reports, but to cruise the open spaces.   To find what I call road birds (Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, and Horned Larks) when the fields are covered with snow, look along lightly travelled roads in open areas.  The birds will be feeding in the road or on the shoulders.  Also look in fields over which manure has recently been spread.  The Buntings and Longspurs travel in tight flocks that can be quite large.   Larger flocks can be mixed.  Occasionally Larks will also be in the flocks.  The Snow Buntings are the light birds that flash white.   The Longspurs are brown birds without the white about the same size.  Note their face pattern.  The Larks are larger with solid black tails.  The Larks will flush from the road perpendicular to the direction you travel.  They fly alone or loosely associated with a few others.     

I hope that helps.

Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN
sweston2 at comcast.net
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ben Parke 
  To: mou-net at moumn.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 10:41 AM
  Subject: [mou] snow buntings in the twin cities


  I'm wondering if anyone has seen any snow buntings in Minneapolis or the western burbs recently.  It's my bird of obsession for the winter and I have yet to run across any (or much any birds for that matter!)

  Ben


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