plectrophenax nivalis

Some rocks and a breaking wave made the "landscape"

Snow bunting

A pair of Snow Buntings mating in the male's territory.

Male Snow Bunting protecting his territory in Barrow, Alaska.

Female Snow Bunting bathing in snow melt in Barrow, Alaska

I found my first Snow Buntings of the year yesterday, very hard to spot among the shingle! The blue/grey background is the sea

60+ on Dingle beach last week

Many thanks to all who took the time and trouble to view and comment on my photographs over the past year and A Happy New Year to all Birdforum admin, mods and members

Some of the fifty or so present at Pakefield, you may notice that several of the birds are sporting shiny new rings, they are being fed daily by a ringing group and I suspect that eventually they will all be ringed! I sometimes wonder how much information is actually gathered from ringing?

50+ on Pakefield beach yesterday, lots of people and dogs enjoying the sunshine so they were being frequently spooked giving good oportunities for flight shots

Posing for me on the shingle bank, I had to get down and dirty for this shot, I'm glad no-one was around to see me struggling to get back up lol!

Another shot from Monday's close encounter

Nice close views of two males and a female yesterday on the beach at Minsmere, winter's definitely on the way when these start appearing!