Máistir Nádúraí: Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks

12.05.2005

Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks

I’m thinking about asking a farmer permission to enter his property in order to get nice digiscoped pictures of SNOW BUNTINGS. This afternoon on my way home from work I made a couple of birding stops. At Pheasant Branch Conservancy, the NORTHERN SHRIKE remains as well as two NORTHERN HARRIERS and an AMERICAN ROBIN. A little further north, I checked Balzer Road and found a mixed-flock of HORNED LARKS, LAPLAND LONGSPURS and SNOW BUNTINGS.

I pulled over and watched them forage in the snow for a while. The lighting would have been really nice, but I left my digiscoping gear at home. The above pictures were taken along Balzer Road in 2002 – it’s a very reliable spot for these three species, but I just don’t think I can get close enough from the road. Perhaps getting a good picture of a Snow Bunting will be my digiscoping mission of the winter.

Lapland Longspur & Snow Bunting images © 2005 Michael McDowell

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range rifles. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom Shop 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry.