[obol] Horned Lark Display

[Clint Brumitt]

Otis,
You have explained in great detail one of the many wonders of birding.
The possibility and joy of seeing something new for the first time.
I would love to know why the bird acted as you described.

Clint Brumitt

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "otis swisher" <ghoti5 at hotmail.com>
To: <obol at lists.oregonstate.edu>
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 1:23 PM
Subject: [obol] Horned Lark Display


> Another day near Cabin Lake Guard Station. #3
>
> How to start?  This had never happened in my over 50 years of birding.  It 
> had not occurred on that gravel road in the Yukon Territory when I 
> photographed that dark, dark Horned Lark.  Nor at over 9,000 feet 
> elevation on the open alpine "almost flat" flat along the western edge of 
> Steens Mt, Oregon with a flock of  birds present.  Nor, on my first 
> sighting of Horned Larks as I turned to enter Leonard, Texas.  In a 
> pounding hail storm this flock was "gravel picking" at the roadside. And, 
> surprisingly, not during my several Breeding Bird Surveys straight east of 
> Yreka, California at the time of year when it might be expected.
>
> But, it did happen towards evening on the gravel desert road in North Lake 
> County, Oregon stretching in unobstructed view  South to Ft. Rock 
> community from Cabin Lake Guard Station.  Why someone felt the need to 
> make road turns in this desert where sage, rabbitbrush, and   greasewood, 
> stretch for miles on end,  I'll leave it up to the road builders to 
> explain.
>
> But, it was there as I rounded a gradual turn that I came upon a single 
> Horned Lark.  Why did he not scramble for cover?  I exited the car and 
> stood glassing him, thankful for the close look.  Too soon for me, he flew 
> off East and just above the sage brush.  Now, usually my Horned Lark 
> sightings have ended thus.  But, this time, no dive to cover.  No down and 
> then up to the top of a bush.  No, this time a 50 year experience was 
> about to unfold.
>
> It all started with the 50 foot flight from the road ending in a true 
> hover about 4 feet above the sage.  My, how he did glisten.  White may be 
> white at times;  but, this was sparkling white of the total underbody and 
> wings.
>
> Now, I have seen some birds show remarkable strength in doing "straight 
> ups".  I expect this of Hummers and other small birds.  For this Horned 
> Lark "straight up" was in a series of 10 or more steps with a "hover 
> pause" of a few seconds at each step.  Up, pause-hover.  Up, pause-hover. 
> A sparkling performance with each pause-hover like a light show beam 
> shining off the glass ball with all its mirrors.
>
> I compare the top of the climb to the height of the 200 to 250 year old 
> Ponderosa Pine trees I was among earlier today.  Certainly greater than 
> 100 feet.   Probably 125 feet or more.  (One observer wrote of over 200 
> feet.)
>
> But, that's not all.   At the top of the climb, and as though in response 
> to this observer's feeling of delight, came the sudden antipenultimate 
> maneuver.  A fold of the wings to make the bird into a two-ended pointed 
> missile, there came a free fall of super speed and straight down.
>
> Then, surprise! No spread of wings to provide a parachute-type soft 
> landing. No!  Instead, a right angle turn at about 4-feet above the sage, 
> followed by a zip across the land scape which would have made early 
> airplane barnstormers envious.  Then, and only then, a disappearance near 
> the roadway.
>
> The bird may not have had to catch his breath. But, did any one hear the 
> insucking of air coming from the desert region just North of Ft. Rock, 
> Oregon about 8 PM on 26 June, '06?  If so, it was so I could from full 
> diaphragm let out my appreciative WOW!
>
> So, back to the car.  Start up.  Make the gradual turn around the "blind 
> corner" and there....  There as if by miracle-of-miracles there were TWO 
> Horned Larks running and stopping in sync together.
>
> Dear reader, you don't think all that passionate display of love was meant 
> for this mere Birdwatcher, do you?   You may get to see this display some 
> time if a nature photographer gets lucky enough to capture it on film. 
> But, don't wait for the movie. Go a looking.  It is better in real life.
>
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