Second page from Unalakleet sketches. I hadn't expected to see small birds at all–just ravens. But the town was fluttering with what the locals called "snowbirds." After some observation and research, I concluded that most of them were McKay's buntings (Plectrophenax hyperboreus), with a few possible snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis).
One of my sources said that they rely pretty heavily on the beach rye grass (Elymus) for winter food. I scouted around and discovered lots of small-bird tracks around the clumps of grass seed stalks, and very few seeds to be had.
Katherine Hocker 