I was able to get some information on one of the Horned Larks that we retrapped at the York Airport yesterday – it had been banded December 17, 2017 making it at least 7.5 years old!! Just think of the thousands of kilometers it’s flown between nesting ground and its Winter home at the Airport over the years!

Today was another busy one split into two parts. Liam and I started off early at the York Airport and we were busy initially: banded 63 birds: 57 Snow Buntings, 5 Horned Larks, and another Lapland Longspur. We’re now pushing 500 buntings for the 2024-25 Winter season. By mid-morning though they were beginning to tail off, the situation not helped at all by a photographer who felt compelled to get out of his car and stand at roadside to get some shots with a massive lens. Oh well.

So we decided to head to Marnie’s site on Irish Line. We didn’t have a lot of time but in the hour the traps were set we banded another 62 Snow Buntings.
Rick