Mystery Photo
If you think you know who has been feeding here, go to the Naturally Curious blog (www.naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com) and enter your answer under “Comments.” (Hint: photo taken in large agricultural field in Champlain Valley of Vermont.) Answer will be revealed on Monday, January 11. (Difficulty 1-10 = 10)
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I think it is horned larks.
January 8, 2021 at 9:23 am
Or maybe snow buntings. I think it could be either – I have seen both in a similar situation, in winter – big agricultural field feeding on emergent vegetation.
January 8, 2021 at 9:25 am
Siskins?
January 8, 2021 at 9:31 am
Pheasants.
January 8, 2021 at 9:32 am
I really enjoy seeing bird-feet prints in the snow, but no clue who was here.
January 8, 2021 at 9:42 am
Snow buntings feeding on weed seeds
January 8, 2021 at 9:45 am
Small birds foraging on seeds. Maybe some Juncos
January 8, 2021 at 9:49 am
Turkeys.
January 8, 2021 at 9:52 am
Is it a grouse?
January 8, 2021 at 9:55 am
snow buntings?
January 8, 2021 at 9:57 am
Snow buntings browsing. Yep. That’s my conclusion and I’m stickin’ to it.
January 8, 2021 at 9:58 am
Good for you, Mark!!
January 8, 2021 at 1:40 pm
Tree sparrows feeding on low lying seeds
January 8, 2021 at 10:31 am
Common Redpolls
January 8, 2021 at 10:47 am
Turkeys
January 8, 2021 at 11:53 am
Ruffed Grouse?
January 8, 2021 at 12:35 pm
I can’t tell if the prints are large enough, but I would say Wild Turkeys!
January 8, 2021 at 12:38 pm
The plants look like some kind of dock. The bird tracks seem too small for turkeys, pheasants or even corvids. That leaves only about 50 possible suspects, lol.
January 8, 2021 at 1:50 pm
No idea about the scale, but since we have a bunch of redpolls madly feeding around our feeder right this minute, I can imagine they’d get more satisfaction with the vegetation in the photo, and if the snow here were softer/fresher the tracks would look like that.
January 8, 2021 at 1:52 pm
My guess is snow buntings, our winter visitors who leave the arctic to enjoy New England’s warm winter weather.
January 8, 2021 at 4:04 pm
It is difficult, but assume it is snow buntings because the prints are so close together and horned larks are not as crowded together when feeding.
January 8, 2021 at 4:29 pm
Definitely birds, grabbing seed most likely. On the smaller side, so I’m eliminating turkeys and grouse. But as to which exact species… I have no idea.
January 8, 2021 at 4:31 pm
If not juncos, second guess is snow buntings.
January 8, 2021 at 5:23 pm
Common Redpolls (with perhaps 1% Hoary Redpolls mixed in). Not sure about the plant – an agricultural field planting whose seeds they are feeding on.
January 8, 2021 at 6:50 pm
Crows. This is my guess because I’ve seen them , in flocks and alone, poking around through leaves etc in the ground for something — some kind of seeds?
January 8, 2021 at 6:51 pm
I’d also guess snow buntings. Wish they would come visit my neck of the woods…
January 8, 2021 at 9:58 pm
My spirea bush looks to be half eaten and there are lots of foot prints in the snow of neighborhood rabbits. I know that isn’t the right answer, but the remains are terribly similar!
January 9, 2021 at 10:13 am