A Snow Bunting at Grafham Water

4th January 2022

Snow Buntings occur along our southern coasts each winter but are fairly rare inland, so therefore when one was reported at Grafham Water just 50 minutes up the road it was just too tempting. As we walked along the dam there was no sign of the three Great Northern Divers and even more worrying no immediate sign of the buntings nor indeed any birdwatchers.

However, undaunted we proceeded past the valve tower and towards the northern end of the dam where it had been reported and eventually found it at the furthest point where the dam meets the trees. It would have been fairly easy to miss it because it was very well camouflaged, very close and sometimes came so close it was out of view tucked under the dam wall.

However, the next hour or two was spent taking far too many photos as it scuttled around amongst the seed heads growing in the cracks of the concrete bank, only pausing now and again to put its head up for breath, and here are the results.

And what better way to finish off the day than a wing-stretch!!