Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Little Bunting could cause big local stir

'And Furthermore' column, Wallowa County Chieftain. Feb. 6, 2013


Most of our tourist attractions out here weigh a lot. The Wallowa Mountains, Chief Joseph Days Rodeo grounds, Hells Canyon. All on the heavy side. But the latest draw bringing visitors to Wallowa County would barely tip a scale.

Little Buntings are smallish birds, about five inches long. They normally flit around Europe and Asia, but we’ve got a Little Bunting visiting in Joseph. That’s a surprise, and the chance to see this bird so far from home has already brought bird watchers to Wallowa County from as far away as Canada and the exotic land of California.  

Hunting for buntings. photo – Kendrick Moholt
My informant in the birding community tells me that more binoculars and spotting scopes are sure to arrive before this Little Bunting fervor dies down. So brace yourself, townsfolk of Joseph. Draw the curtains if you must, but don’t be calling the sheriff because the streets are teeming with people peeking into yards with binoculars. Yes, they’re hoping to catch a glimpse of a little something, but in this case it’s a bunting. Whatever you do, don’t start skimping on the birdseed now.

Home turf for the Little Bunting includes Switzerland. So while our little visitor did get blown off course, at least it had the good sense to find the Little Switzerland of North America to remind it of the old country.

I got the bunting tip from Kendrick Moholt of Lostine. This guy has gone off to photograph tigers in Russia and penguins in Antarctica, so if he says a creature is worth getting off the couch I go along.

The first person to identify the Little Bunting in Joseph was Alan Contreras, who has written several books on Oregon birds and was formerly president of the Oregon Field Ornithologists. He recognized the Little Bunting, confirmed with pictures and sent out word on the wire.

Trent Bray came over the hill from La Grande and saw the bunting. Bray runs the Bobolink store in The Big, where birdfeeders, supplies and bird watching equipment are the specialty. Bray also operates Avitours, a northeast Oregon birdwatching tour guide service. Bray described the Little Bunting in Joseph as a “mega-rarity” in an e-mail to other birders.

This isn’t the first time a Little Bunting has stirred up excitement. During my exhaustive research for this dispatch, I typed “Little Bunting” into the internet and found a story from the BBC about another Little Bunting far from home that got the British riled up. You know if the redcoats get excited it’s a big deal.

I got dragged out to look for a snowy owl on the Zumwalt last year by local bird enthusiast Mike Baird. Didn’t see it. But I tried to return the favor by dragging Baird up to Joseph for a look at the bunting. Struck out again. But I did see a squadron of tundra geese fly over years ago and heard that was a rare sight. Maybe they were swans, I don’t know. I have not written several books on Oregon birds.

Kendrick sent along a list of other birds that watchers look for in Wallowa County during the winter. I’ve pulled out a few samples here, mainly the names that remind me of a superhero or a rock-and-roll band. The Gyrfalcon could be either a band or a superhero. Lapland Longspur, Northern Shrike and Townsend’s Solitaire are all sturdy band names. Then you’ve got your Buffleheads and American Coots, which could use a good PR firm.

With all this birdwatching going on, it’s time to dust off the binoculars and get to watching, Wallowa County. Not for birds, I think we should welcome the influx of bird watchers by compiling a list of all the birdwatchers we can identify. Keep your eyes peeled for the Downy Vested Californian. The Canadian Spotting Scope. Turtlenecked Midwesterner. You can put sandwiches out in feeding stations to draw birdwatchers to your viewing area.

Welcome to Wallowa County, Little Bunting. You’ve had quite the journey. Now just watch out for the Gyrfalcon. And picture windows. And cats. Especially one in Joseph named Domino. But if it makes you feel better, you’ve got people watching out for you.

Jon Rombach is a local columnist for the Chieftain. He offers free tours to view starlings in his back yard, with complimentary BB gun rentals.

Update: Little Bunting sightings have dropped off, but it's out there somewhere. Birders from Canada, Montana and Washington have also arrived.

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