Unidentified on Dunster Beach

[Somerset22]

Anyone have any ideas. A finch of some sort I assume.

New to this forum so hope I have done this correctly.

[diggleken]

Snow Bunting, lucky you!
Welcome to WAB too.
Cheers
Ken

[poschiavanus]

Welcome to WAB.

It's a good while since I've seen one, but I think this is a Snow Bunting.

[Somerset22]

Wow - Thanks for coming back so quickly. I'm interested in birds but not a real bird watcher as such. I am really pleased I had my camera otherwise would have got the description quite wrong I suspect.

Just looked it up on other sites and am sure this is what it is.


How rare is it to see this please?

[poschiavanus]

It's listed on the Somerset Ornithological Society site as a "Scarce winter visitor and passage-migrant." Other birds in the scarce category seem to be 'desirable' from a birders viewpoint, so I'd imagine that a handful of records are made each year (although a single bird may stay in one place for much of the winter).

Snow Buntings are a very rare breeding bird in Britain (mainly on the tops of the Cairngorms, where I was lucky enough to see one by accident on a misty day whilst having a breather). Most of the birds we see in winter come from Scandinavia, with the BTO estimating around 9000 birds over-wintering. I think most of these are found on the east coast when they are seen in flocks. The only one I've seen in winter was in a flock of Chaffinches on west coast of Kintyre.

[RobinP]

Wow! I'd love to see one of these, let alone photograph it! Well done!

Robin

[aeshna5]

Lovely photo of a great bird. There was a London record today too with a bird on the ground at Walthamstow Reservoirs. Most birds around London tend to be flyovers detected by call.

Usually a bird I catch up with in winter on the north Norfolk coast- such a treat to see a flock of these birds feeeding + flying along the saltmarsh.

A real treat for you + definitely send this record to the Somerset recorder with your photo, location, date , etc.

[diggleken]

The last Atlas had them as an estimated 70 - 100 pairs in the UK only, generally breeding in upland areas with little disturbance where the snowy habitat is right - like Posch, I have seen them in the Cairngorms, Ben Macdui, a pair around a rock outcrop, which they need to breed, for shelter .
North Wales is also a good area to see winter migrants from our own population and Iceland/Greenland birds moving south to warmer climes.
they are quite confiding, surprisingly and flocks on a beach/shingle will let you approach quite closely, presumably as in your case.
Lovely bird, one of my favourites.
Cheers
Ken

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by diggleken

I have seen them in the Cairngorms, Ben Macdui, a pair around a rock outcrop, which they need to breed, for shelter.

I've also seen them in Summer on the Cairngorm tops. They get quite used to people and when you sit down to eat your sandwiches, they'll hop around near you.

Here's one I took a few years ago on MacDui:



Jim

[diggleken]

Nice one Jim!
Cheers
Ken