Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Smith's Longspur

This is my Lifer Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) found at Last Mountain Lake in south-central Saskatchewan late September, 2012. 


This one plus two others were flitting around the cut and baled hay; two flew off and this male decided to hide in the shade of a large, round bale.  It was a hot day.  I don't blame him one bit....except it didn't give me much of a chance for getting a good photo.  Ah well....

Smith's Longspurs were one of the species I hoped to see around Churchill, MB (June), but we failed to find any.  Smith's Longspurs, along with its more common relative, the Lapland Longspur, is a tundra-breeder.  Smith's migrate to the south-eastern prairies of the US (E. Oklahoma, Texas, etc) to hang out in short grass prairie, mowed hay fields near water.  A habitat that perfectly describes where I saw them in here in SK.


Pete Dunn calls this The Tawny Longspur.  A good description, as my bird had a distinctly tawny breast  and generally overall, even though not in breeding plumage. 


References:
 
Pete Dunn's Essential Field Guide Companion 

All About Birds

 

5 comments:

  1. Never seeb that one but the Lapland version can be seen here in the winter. I did love the ladyslipper and have a few of the yellow brand in my woods...:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello to all, for the rеaѕon that I am truly eager of readіng thіs wеb ѕitе's post to be updated on a regular basis. It contains pleasant stuff.
    Also visit my website : click through the up coming post

    ReplyDelete
  3. Be іntеllесtual еnough
    to seе that your ad ԁoеs nоt go
    on аiг οn а unseemly show ; а Сhгistiаn
    boоk going on aіr on a ѕhoω that is
    about handlіng seхual issueѕ would be ridiculous.

    While the еffесts of antennа polarization mаy bе intегprеteԁ
    as a геduсtion in thе qualіty οf ѕοme
    radio lіnkѕ, ѕоme rаdiо ԁеsigneгs оften make
    use of this property to tune an аntenna to their needs by restrіcting transmission οr reception to sіgnalѕ on а limited number
    of ѵectors. These іncluԁe the аrtiѕt-bгаndeԁ musiс channels
    such as Thе Grаtеful Deaԁ Channel,
    Emіnem's Shade 45, Jimmy Buffett's Radio Mагgaгіtаvillе; theгe
    is even the classiсal musіс Μеtгopolitan Οpera
    Raԁіo сhаnnеl.

    Heгe is my ωeb blog :: just click the following webpage
    my web page: www.wikitunes.de

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Birds are all wonderful to watch.
    Nature is awesome!!

    ReplyDelete