Some of you may be wondering why Rick hasn’t been making blog posts this season. He is currently on a coast guard vessel in the Arctic, counting sea birds (and the occasional passerine, it seems). He will be back in a few weeks, and, I expect, making blog posts again. He sent this update last night:
Hi All:
Steamed into a stunning sunset on a calm sea – Baffin Bay. Looked out to port and there, winging its way along, faster than the ship, was a male Snow Bunting. On seeing the ship, it headed over to check out the boat and then I lost light of it as it rounded the bow. This bird was heading west. We were at over 67 degrees north and just west of 60 degrees west. The closest land was 85 Nautical miles away, north of Broughton Island on the coast of Baffin Island.
Rick
Hi, I just came across your site and have a question. We have a lone Snow Bunting living on our chicken coop. I can get within 4 feet of it before it flies away. He’s been here about 5 weeks. Is this normal? We live in Kawartha Lakes Ontario
Thanks
Wendy