Buckeye Chase

Tom, Chuck and I left Flagstaff at 5am to chase a life bird, Smith's Longspur in a field at Tuthill and Pecos in Buckeye. The bird had been found earlier in the week and we knew how to find the bird.On our arrival we had flocks of 300 Lark Buntings and at least 1000 Red-winged Blackbirds but these soon departed. Starting at 7:30 we, and many others, walked back and forth across the large field until the bird flushed giving its obvious call note as it flew. Noting its landing position, everyone heads towards it and scopes the bird until it is found. We had excellent views on three occasions between 9:30 and 11:00. By then 50 birders had appeared, the largest group of chasers I had seen since the Baikal Teal in December 2010. As well as the Smith's we had a few Chestnut-collared Longspurs but the area was think with Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks and sparrows - mostly Savannahs and Vespers.

Horned Lark

 I finished the first week of 2011 at 54 species for the year with one lifer.