Horned Lark

Had it ever occurred to you that you may have seen something before, but you may passed it over for something else? Such thing happened to me this afternoon.... What I may passed over maybe dozens of times at the ever common House Sparrow or American Tree Sparrow was actually a Horned Lark.

Horned Larks are more common than what many thinks. They are year round residents to most of  North America, with the northern population migrating south. Around here, they seem to be most found during the winter months in open fields, farmlands and grasslands foraging for seeds along the roadsides. Flocks up 250 of these larks foraging alongside with Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings have been reported around here. They are best seen after a fresh snow fall.

Identified by its mainly brown-grey plumage above and pale below, with a striking black and yellow face pattern, it looks a lot like a sparrow, but its distinguished black "horns" on the male give it a rather usual appearance. 

These pictures were taken this afternoon on 55th Drive between County Highway A and Spring Street. I had read a report on a large flock of Horned Larks (along with Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings) in the area. I had never really have '"seen" them before. Tender Heart and I set out to find them after work today. It wasn't long before we found them! Approximately 55 of them were in the fields and on the roadsides along the entire stretch of road.