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Re: Snow Bunting, Vesper Sparrow at SWAP

From:

Bill Hubick

Reply-To:

Bill Hubick

Date:

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:55:25 -0700

Joel,
 
Did they look like this? ;)    http://www.billhubick.com/new_set.html   
 
I found and photographed both birds at around 4:30 p.m. at the same locations. Before I could photograph the bunting, a man walking his dog flushed it, and the bird flew several hundred yards away. I was surprised to return 10 minutes later and find it back on the same rock!  I took the photos posted above, and when I quietly approached a bit closer it dropped off the rock and disappeared. After spending several minutes expecting it to return to the rock or come out to forage, I moved along to see behind the boulder. I immediately spotted the bunting scurrying around to stay hidden. I'm certain it was actively hiding behind the rock! 
 
Maybe this isn't so strange...Cornell's "Birds of North America" (ref: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/) says the following: "Unlike most other arctic songbirds, this species nests in rock cavities, so competition for territories containing high-quality nest sites is intense. The importance of nest sites to the reproductive biology of Snow Buntings is underscored by the fact that nest-site advertisement and visitation are a key part of courtship. By tucking their nests deep in narrow cracks and fissures, Snow Buntings suffer lower rates of nest predation than open-nesting arctic songbirds."  
 
It's always interesting to learn more about what "our" birds are doing when they're not here.
 
Thanks for the cool finds, Joel! 
 
Have a good weekend, everyone.
 
Bill
 
Bill Hubick
Elkridge, MD
bill_hubick AT yahoo.com
http://www.billhubick.com