Rustic Bunting in the Neighborhood

This Rustic Bunting has been coming into a feeder just a few miles from the WBA headquarters in Homer, Alaska. Photo taken 18 December 2013, Aaron Lang. Typically a bird we hope to find on our trips to St. Paul Island or Gambell, it’s great to be able to take time from the office to head up the road and see it! It is about the 8th record away from the Bering Sea where the species is regular in spring. The bird was first found by Tamara Reiser at her feeder on 11 December and since then has been seen daily by a number of very happy birders. If you’re thinking about making the trip to Homer drop us a line, maybe we can help.

Previous Alaska records of Rustic Bunting away from the Bering Sea:

• One in Homer, 21 March-14 April 1985
• One near Petersburg (Mitkof Island), 11 November 1991
• One on Kodiak Island, 30 December 1990-1 January 1991
• One in Fairbanks, 7 November 1994-February 1995
• One in Juneau, 29 October-2 November 2006
• Two in Ketchikan, 10-30 November 2009, with one remaining until 2 May 2010
• One in Ketchikan, 28 October-8 November 2010 (at the same feeder as the previous fall)