ML630054158

Ажиглалтын дэлгэрэнгүй

After group went to lunch, a couple of us lingered behind to do some additional birding. We walked the airstrip again, hoping to flush the longspurs that we heard earlier this morning. After a brief walk, I flushed a couple birds, and one gave a dry rattle that struck me as similar to a Lapland’s rattle call. That said, the habitat seemed off for Lapland, as I’ve never observed them in any type of cover. Additionally, the bird appeared to be fairly ochre below, which struck me as ill befitting a LALO. After about 25 minutes, we were joined by the larger group, and we walked the airstrip again and managed to observe these birds several times in flight and once or twice at fairly close range on the ground. In flight, the bird appeared to have more white in the tail, which photos will hopefully show well. It also vocalized several times, always giving a rattle with no liquidy, burry ‘tsew’ calls mixed in. On the ground, the bird appeared to have a modest eyering, petite bill, and lacked the more vibrant facial patterning one might expect to see in a Lapland. Really cool experience today! Photos and audio soon. In flight, entire underparts were peachy-buff, including belly, with fine streaking on breast and flanks. One flight photo shows two white outer tail feathers from above when tail was spread during take-off. On perched bird, rust color on coverts was pale, not strong as expected in Lapland.