3 February 2019: First species I missed last year!

It was only a matter of time before something turned up that I missed for my Green Big Year last year. It stings a little bit, especially because we're not that far into the new year, and it was very close to home! But I'll still take it!

Just over a week ago, someone reported a flock of mixed Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks about 7 miles (as the bike rolls) from my house. Last year I biked 286.2 miles over 14 trips through open areas where my primary targets were Lapland Longpsurs, Snow Buntings, Northern Shrikes, and sometimes Golden Eagles. The only one I ever found was a Northern Shrike on an additional dedicated trip on December 29th!

So of course I tried to go chase those longspurs last weekend - but just a few blocks from home, it started snowing, earlier than forecast. I wasn't comfortable biking up that road in reduced visibility and with uncertain road surface conditions, so I turned around and went home. Then we got 8-10" of snow, and then the polar vortex set in, so I barely left my house last week.

Yesterday it was not only above 0 F, but also above freezing (!!!), so off I went on my bike. I rode my studded tires, but didn't end up needing them, as the roads were merely wet (which of course meant saltwater mist in my face the whole way...). At the same spot where previously reported, I found 22 Horned Larks... and a single Lapland Longspur!

The longspur is second from right. I watched the flock for about half an hour as they fed on the roadside, then flushed into the field each time a car passed.

Lapland Longspur in front, Horned Lark behind. Edamame, anyone?

The longspur usually gave its rattle call in flight, which helped me pick it out from the flock as they moved in small groups back to the road. The pale stripes on its back were also super helpful once I got my binoculars on them. Seeing any brown bird in that roadside grass and dirt/debris was a challenge, though!

Lapland Longspur, at bottom left, wonders if it's really worth flushing yet again with those flighty larks...

This spot was 1 mile outside my 5MR, but it counts for my 7.5MR, and of course for my green list. The longspur was definitely the first really good bird of the year. The weather can only improve from here (right??), so I'm sure there are more good birds on the horizon!

Check out that eponymous spur!

I'm tracking my green 2019 list in the sidebar (my 2018 list has been moved to its own page) and will keep my patch totals at the bottom of the list. So many lists to keep track of!