Lark Buntings

We seem to have an unusual number of Lark Buntings here at the ranch this year. Don't I sound so smart knowing the names of some of the birds that live around here? Well, don't let the fact that I know the name of one species fool you, I am no bird expert! The only reason I know they are lurk buntings is because one of my friends on Facebook made a comment about having some at their place and posted a link about lark buntings.

I read about them and found out that they lay "4 or 5 light blue eggs in a loose grass nest placed in a scrape with rim flush with the ground; often protected by weedy patch." So every time I check on the cows in the pasture, I have been keeping my eye open for a nest. Thus far, no luck at finding one.

The birds like to hangout with the chickens that are out on pasture. The males sit on the electric netting and sing to me when I am feeding and watering the chickens. I don't know why I've never really noticed them before this year. I am sure they have been here every year we have lived here. But I think one of the main reasons we are seeing so many this year is because we torn out the field where they are hanging out a couple of years ago, it was in alfalfa, and planted pasture grasses out there. And with all the rain we have received this year, the grass is really coming on this year. Must be perfect conditions for them.

Here you can see a couple of the chicken shelters out on pasture and the cows grazing along side them. This is where I have seen several of the lark bunting. You can also see the electrified netting that the birds like to sit on and sing to me.




Danny checking the cows on the other side of the poultry fencing. If you enlarge the picture (just click on it) you can see Dan the Man on the 4wheeler in the left hand corner of the picture among the cows.

In these last two pictures if you look down the fence-line, you can see another
bird sitting on the fence, but he is out of focus.

I'll keep you posted on whether or not I find any nests.
That is all.