Snow Bunting

We have had a few Snow Buntings in the coast locally for the last month or two. A group of five at one location and a single bird at another. I decided to go and have a look at the lone bird as it would be in better light. I arrived and could immediately see it perched on top of the rocks in some lovely late afternoon light. A few shots and 15 minutes later it flew high into the sky and disappeared into the distance. It has returned in the days since so I think it probably goes elsewhere to roost.

It has been some time since I photographed one of these lovely approachable birds. I'll maybe go and check out the group of five before winter is over.

Snow Buntings

I took a trip last week to North Wales, hoping to photograph Crossbills. I arrived at the forest to find a couple of inches of snow on the roads, a stiff cold breeze and very little in the way of birds. I didn't hang around for too long and headed up to the coast where a group of Snow Buntings have been spending the last few winters. Thanks to people regularly putting seed down for them, there is now quite a flock developing. It's a shame that they always leave in the spring before their breeding plumage develops. A few other species are in attendance too including Meadow pipits and on the shoreline were a group of Sanderling, these were the birds in my last post.

Snow Bunting

Meadow Pipit

Snow Buntings

After another wasted few hours looking for the elusive Shorelark, I decided to move around the coast to the more reliable Snow Buntings. They were moving up and down the beach as usual, but then all flew up onto the grass seed heads to feed. It made a refreshing change photographing them perched up off the ground with an idyllic back drop.