Snow Buntings! (Plectrophenax nivalis)

October 31, 2010 Zimmerman, MN In an earlier entry for today entitled "Serenity" I  mentioned that this was a very quiet day on the Wildlife Drive. In the chill of this frosty morning even the usual small winter birds were hiding somewhere. I thought the water fowl and a few raptors would fill out the mornings birding. But, as has often been said about the natural world, "You never know what's around the next bend." Today it was a wonderful surprise: snow buntings. I felt the thrill of discovery. These birds are not included in the "Uncommon" column of the Sherburne Refuge bird list even though my  National Geographic field guide says they are common in this area. A group of these small sparrow-like birds was pecking in the gravel road just beyond the Big Bluestem Pool. In my four years in the Zimmerman area I have seen only one lone snow bunting. That in itself was unusual because, like dark-eyed juncos, they usually travel as a flock. Now at last I was seeing a small flock. A Small Flock of Snow Buntings on the Wildlife Drive I tried to slowly drive closer to them for a better view and perhaps a picture. But as I moved closer they would burst into flight, then settle back into business as usual further down the road. Finally I took me foot completely off the accelerator and idled very slowly toward them at a snails pace. This time they ignored my approach until I was reasonably close. What handsome birds they are with their buffy cheeks, white breasts and contrasting brown and black wings.  This first up-close impression would probably fade into familiarity if flocks of snow buntings were common here. But they would still be handsome birds. Snow Bunting Frontal View Snow Bunting Side View Snow bunting, Oblique View I pulled off to the side then sat and watched these buntings doing nothing more than hopping around and pecking at the gravel. It was a very relaxing ten or fifteen minutes until a car came by at the full 20 mph speed limit and scattered them into the distance. The people in that car were probably not aware of what they were missing as they hurried on. But once more I had found  joy and tranquility in the small stuff.