Snow Buntings, Milton

[Napper]

Hey!

On the way home from work today..

My carpool dude said what kind of birds are those?.. Wow I am turning him into a birder!

30 Snow Buntings scurrying about a cut corn field at 4th line Milton South of Britannia rd. Just North of Lower Base line..

Napper:)

[RKD]

lol, love it when new people become hooked on birding. My husband, the most unlikely candidate has become a most enthusiastic birder. Comes home from work and the first thing he does is  makes sure the feeders are full.

Regarding the snow buntings I am being hopeful they may come up to Georgetown as I have never seen one, or I may have to go down to Milton and park myself on 4th line.

Thanks for sharing!

[Luv2Bird]

I've never seen a snow bunting ... would love to get a pic. Do they "hang out" in that area ?  How likely are we to see them if we drive around 4th line S. of Britannia?

I know we can count  on Red-tails in that area.

[Margaret]

"Worth the drive" from Brampton to Napper country at noon today.
I was about to give up on Fourth Line, south of Britannia (west of Trafalgar) in the cold wind when movement
caught my eye and a flock of birds rose up from the cornfield and quickly settled again and was well camouflaged.
Difficult to see the buntings without bins. I had my bins with me but couldn't distinguish any horned lark or longspurs
in the flock - I believe they're often seen with snow buntings. Maybe someone with a scope can inform us if there is variety among the birds here.
Field was on west side of Fourth Line, south of house no. 5446, opp. Hugh Beatty's farm. Good Luck.

Btw Napper, backyard niger feeder is full of v. pretty goldfinches (I'm sure they're getting yellower) and a couple of chickadees keep butting in.

[Napper]

Hey guys

Sorry I didn't give more detailed instructions. We weren't birding at the time we were commuting home at a pretty good clip.

When we saw them they were near the road and there were alot of Canada geese around.

We took a different route home tonight  403,Winston Churchill then Britannia.. I cannot believe the amount of Canada geese hanging out in the fields West of Mississauga.

I didn't expect anybody to go out in today's weather.  The Wind is causing minor drifting over the roads today.

luv2bird :I don't know if they hang out there this is the first time I have seen Buntings in that location.


Napper:)

Margaret, I am Jealous as usual "goldfinches"..

[Luv2Bird]

Hey Napper ..thanks for the great instructions ... we found them today (though it was snowing and cloudy). Got some shots anyway. Also think there were some Horned Larks among them. Check the Bird ID section I've asked for confirmation.

[Napper]

Hey!!

I took a drive along 4th line today.  The buntings are still there and there is lots of activity along the the road in general.

The buntings were landing at the edge of the road. Horned Larks aswell.

Napper:)

Was sunny and mild I just walked in at 12:15 pm

[Axeman]

I have often seen snow buntings in the fields around Winston Churchill and Garafraxa Twnline...(Caledon?)...but today, for the first time, I've seen them in fields up by my home in West Grey (Ayton).

[RKD]

hey Napper
Went out to 4th today at about 4pm and saw 5 Horned Larks (a first for us) but no Snow Buntings. Then driving back along the 6th saw maybe 20 more Horned Larks but still no Buntings. Maybe tomorrow, I'm not giving up yet!! Thanks for the directions anyways.

[Napper]

The snow Buntings seemed to disappear last Sunday.

There are many Horned larks about in the fields South of Milton toward Burlington and West towards Mississauga

taken yesterday

http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/album ... DSC_0402_1

Still working out the kinks I have to turn down the in camera sharpening and start shooting in the M mode again.

Napper:)