Singing Horned Lark

[tamrock]

I walked my dog Ollie to the dog park while Bella was at the groomers yesterday and as it is this time of the year the male Horned Larks will sit and sing on the fence there. We're getting into the upper 50s now and the field is really singing away with Flickers, Fly Catchers, and Meadow Larks along with these little guys. It's a sound that lifts my spirits, as we may see one more big dump of snow and if so that should be it and then the days of rain come and everything begins to grow out of the ground.

 

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[Jim in Idaho]

Nicer pics, Grant. A few years ago, Chris and I were headed to Death Valley in February. We were driving west on US50, and there were flocks of thousands of Horned Larks. They were hanging out by the road, and were getting hit by the cars so much there was a dead bird every hundred yards, for 50 miles. Never seen anything like it. But they sure are neat-looking in their winter colors.
Jim

 

[worldtalker]

I marvel at spring..everything appears dead and yet comes back to life,actually I Marvel at ALL creation.

GOD Bless

Chris

 

[tamrock]

Nicer pics, Grant. A few years ago, Chris and I were headed to Death Valley in February. We were driving west on US50, and there were flocks of thousands of Horned Larks. They were hanging out by the road, and were getting hit by the cars so much there was a dead bird every hundred yards, for 50 miles. Never seen anything like it. But they sure are neat-looking in their winter colors.
Jim

Sometimes they're chasing some kind of insects out on the road. I've seen 4 of them chase after one moth right in my path and get hit. Sparrows do the same thing. When they want that bug nothing else matters. Sometimes they all just fly in front of fast moving cars. I can't imagine how many little birds I've hit on all the highways I've traveled. I do try to slow down when I see a flock heading in front of me, but there always seems to be one who turns and flies the same direction I'm headed where it should have just followed all the others across the road. They just can't fly away fasted than 75 mpr.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Sometimes they're chasing some kind of insects out on the road. I've seen 4 of them chase after one moth right in my path and get hit. Sparrows do the same thing. When they want that bug nothing else matters. Sometimes they all just fly in front of fast moving cars. I can't imagine how many little birds I've hit on all the highways I've traveled. I do try to slow down when I see a flock heading in front of me, but there always seems to be one who turns and flies the same direction I'm headed where it should have just followed all the others across the road. They just can't fly away fasted than 75 mpr.

This was middle of winter, Grant,...no insects. It's possible there were more huge flocks we couldn't see. I assume they were living off seeds. Maybe picking up grit off the road shoulders?
Jim

 

[tamrock]

This was middle of winter, Grant,...no insects. It's possible there were more huge flocks we couldn't see. I assume they were living off seeds. Maybe picking up grit off the road shoulders?
Jim

Yeah I do see them in larger flocks in the winter. They don't look anymore than a common sparrow until you get up close to them. On really cold days they're about the only bird I see flying around in the field. Some guy I worked with told me they're a true Lark whereas a Meadowlark isn't.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I didn't know that about the "true" larks...thanks! I think they must winter down there in central Nevada. Must be a reliable food supply down there. The ones we saw were so colorful, we drove down a two-track to get away from the highway so we could get a better look at them. Didn't know they were Horned Larks until we did that. There are lots of them around our desert during the summer.
Jim