untouched. Was this a friendIy “thank you" before setting forth on a Tong journey south? I wonder!

BUNTING BONANZA by Evern Meader

This morning (Aprii 3) I reaiized our magnificent dispIays of Snow Buntings have reaiiy meited away. From mid-January to mid-February we had daily baIIet troups from a dozen to eighty of these wintery birds, soaring in circuiar patterns around the house from the feeder to the top of our matriarchai chestnut tree. When I read in Peter Wheian's Giobe and Maii cqumn that the hardy buntings rareiy visit feeders, I thought, "He shouid see the Meader seed ciienteie." In December and eariy January we had sparse but reguiar bunting visitations. Then came the entertaining Iarge rocks. These graduaiiy dwindied tiTT in March we'd sometimes surprise a Toner in the Iane or see a fiock working the neighbouring fieid. There were 5 Easter buntings in the 1lane March 30 and one On the feeder Aprii 1 and 2.

I enjoyed my month of bounteous buntings. They created a memorabie image as they right-wheeled in miIitary precision against a ciear que sky. Even resting in the chestnut crown they were never stiii. One wouid hop to a new position, then another wouid do the same. There was a continuous bunting row in air and tree and on the ground. '*‘

The first birds to the seeds ate best. They had time to peck up a-good beak fuii before the skittish Tate arrivais stimuiated a departure in unison. The Iast birds to the tabie must have been on a Iow caI diet.

I had pienty of time to study their winter coiours. They a11 had “Rinso white” underparts, rusty cheeks and crowns and a rusty necklace which varied from compiete circies to partiai crescents. As they swiried over the fieids they disappeared and reappeared against the white background, depending on which side, Tight or dark, faced the watcher.

One day as I watched the fiock giving our tabie feeder a compIete feather covering, I noticed a darker bird in the bunch. Behoid! - a LapIand Longspur. He joined his bunting buddies reguiariy enough to keep this birder's observing a Tittie sharper.

Now most of the buntings have headed north to feast on Arctic spring offerings and raise new famiiies. Here the partridge and House Sparrows visit in pairs whiie the ever present coiourfui Biue Jays zap around them. It's “heiio” to the giossy grackies and the fiashy Red—winged Biackbirds. "Neicome to the abandoned buntings' buffet."

NEWS FROM ABOUT

The Nationai Audubon Society has purchased a 116 acre tract of bid growth forest Dougias fir in Oregon in the middie of the Iargest intact stand of coastai temperate rain forest in the continentai United States. (Adapted from A duhon Magazine. March 1991)

The 1990 duck popuiation in Canada and United States increased 1% to 31.3 miiiion for aII areas Surveyed. This was the third Iowest number on record. As ducks are an indicator of wetiands heaith, these Tow numbers are of concern to aII

_ 7 -