The first Corn Bunting in Vestland

I stumbled upon a big surprise during todays fieldwork on farmland birds in Nordhordland (western Norway). The encounter lasted only a few seconds, but fortunately long enough for me to shoot a few poor documentation photos of the event.

While conducting a point count at Djupedalen in Alver municipality, I noticed a bird perched in a spruce tree in an otherwise open landscape. As I raised my binoculars, I assumed it was a Meadow Pipit, one of the most common species in the area. As I got the bird in focus, I saw a heavy bill. Definitely not a Meadow Pipit. It was a Corn Bunting! A species never before recorded in Vestland county.

I watched it in my binoculars for a couple of seconds before switching to my camera. Just as I did, it turned silently, dropped behind the spruce, and disappeared into the densely vegetated fields. A few shots were fired as it took off. I stayed in the area for another twenty minutes, hoping to relocate it, but without success.

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