Thursday, January 02, 2025
A snowfall overnight brought the enticing thought that it might, if heavy enough, have brought snow buntings down from the hills. Greger wanted some exercise so we drove to the dam and walked along the track through the plantation. On Boxing Day, a walk here had brought a ringtail hen harrier and a kestrel, so our attention was mostly on the hillside and the ridge; but a gruff little call, repeated several times, drew my attention to the water - and three goosanders sailed out from the rocky shore of the loch.
Turning back, we'd just passed through the gate when a flock of small birds came from nowhere, fluttering along just above the track before touching down. Snow buntings! Some took off immediately and flew, trilling, right over us, while a few remained on the ground. In the picture they appear to be looking back the way they'd come, so I wonder if something had been chasing them.
Next moment they'd all gone, disappearing somewhere beyond the conifers. It all happened too quickly for a count, but we agreed that we'd seen at least ten snow buntings.
// posted by Christine @ 11:40 AM 
