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| Male Horned Lark: fence post bird. © SB |
With heavy snow still thick in the fields, the gravel shoulders seemed to be the best — and perhaps only — place for these returning birds to feed.
Horned Larks, named for the spiky black feathers on either side of males' heads, are native North American larks.
They are one of our first birds back after (or, this year, during) winter, and they form flocks alone or with a few other species. Several times earlier this year, I saw these birds along the road with several Snow Buntings. Alas, the Buntings were too far away for my camera (or me) to clearly focus.
I love the males' horns, but I'm even more pleased to have captured a reasonably sharp shot of a female, as I see them far more rarely.
And I'm surprised I haven't posted pictures of Horned Larks yet; I have some good photographs from last summer; perhaps once the snow melts, I'll post a few.
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| Female Horned Lark in roadside gravel and snow - great camouflage, but fields are even better. © SB |
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| Male Horned Lark - yes, I know... An odd shot, but shows his horns! © SB |
What are these? Horned Larks
Location: Along a grid road, near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Photo dates: April 3, 2013.
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