There’s a flock of Snow Buntings that have been hanging out at Misquamicut State Beach. According to my bird sources, Snow Buntings are an unusual sight at this time of year in Westerly, as are the Horned Larks and Lapland Larkspurs that have joined them recently – this rare sighted trio is now known this year as The Misquamicut Trifecta – but the Buntings are by far the most enchanting birds in the unseasonal bunch. It’s a big flock – I’d guess 60 to 75 birds – but Snow Buntings themselves are quite tiny, about the size of a sparrow, and when they fly, boy do they fly!
In my brief birding experience, I’ve found Buntings to be a skittish species. When I’ve attempted to approach them in the past, the flock has taken off en masse. This happened again today, but I was patient this time and waited for a minute and then swoosh! they were back, seeming to fly right through my car! If you’ve never been in the center of a bird swarm, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s at once alarming and intoxicating; it takes one’s breath away, and after my initial surprise had passed, I was sad to see them go.
Well, I thought they had gone. But as I made my way to my next watch station, once again to my surprise, they followed me to my destination! It seemed I had been inducted into the flock.
Today I was a Snow Bunting.
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