The mountains report part IV - Lapland Bunting

Lapland Bunting is becoming much scarcer as both a passage and breeding bird in Southern Norway and has become noticeably harder to find on and around Valdresflye in the ca.15 years I have been visiting the area. The reasons for this decline are not known although climate changes may have a role to play but when you see the area still covered in deep snow at the end of May it is difficult to believe that is impacting them on the breeding grounds. One thing I have noticed is that Reed Buntings are breeding higher and higher up and this year we had two birds higher up than any of the Lapland Buntings we saw. Maybe Reed Buntings are pushing the Laplands out in the same way that Blue and Great Tits are probably pushing out Siberian Tits?

We had great views of a singing male Lapland at one site with a female close by and also had another singing male at a different site but years ago I would have expected many more.

The singing male often sang in a display flight and would glide down on outstretched wings. I tried many times to photograph this but it proved very hard!

male Lapland Bunting (lappspurv)

it is perhaps most striking when taken from behind

best flight shot

the female wouldn't come close

and a Reed Bunting that we had at about 1300m - much higher than the Laplands