Arriving with four juncos yesterday

...was this Rustic Bunting. According to Sparrows of the United States and Canada, this bird breeds in the Paleartic from northern Scandinavia to northern Siberia and should be wintering in China or Japan or thereabouts. But this little guy decided to head to Saskatchewan. The book lists the North American records of this bird, which are few and all from the west coast. Regular visitors to this blog would have noted the odd way in which this post has developed. Photos were posted first without context, followed by video. And now, on December 8, this paragraph. The reason for this is because we were consulting others to confirm the ID, as stated in this post to Saskbirds, using the blog as a convenient way to share the images and video, and were in the process of making sure the sighting is documented as well as possible.





























These photos were shot by Harvey Schmidt (H) today (Dec 4).

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December 5 Update:

Here's video of the bird, closely zoomed (See Dec 6 update below for better video).

Here's HD video of the bird with juncos (See Dec 6 update below for better video).

Both videos shot by H on December 4.

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December 6 Update:

Here's very good HD video shot by H of the bird on December 6. This is the better video I was referring to above. Probably the best of the lot.

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December 7 Update:

Here's video of the bird hunkered down in a depression near our big feeder, which those of you who have been here will recognize. H shot this video yesterday.

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December 8 Update:

It has turned cold, dipping to -34 overnight. The bunting was here off and on yesterday and again today.

Here's HQ video shot by H on Dec. 6, which gives a good size comparison of the bunting and the juncos.

One full moon down

...and one to go. That's my kind of December.

A few books arrived this week. I learned of the bottom three on other blogs.


Climate Wars by Gwynne Dyer is open on top. Big thanks to Ian for pointing me to this book. It's been my bedtime reading for the past while. Disturbing stuff. The scenarios Dyer presents are especially chilling.

Happy December to you all.

Canada's war poet experiences rocket attack

...and as the sirens sounded I was likely sleeping, maybe dreaming about Atwood's The Year of the Flood. I'm halfway through and hearing sirens of a different sort.

A self-induced seizure

...as performance art. Apparently the project received an arts council grant.

The bottom fell out

.

...but that happens.

Wasps and writers

...have some things in common. This occurred to me while I was taking these pics of paper from a wasp nest.
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For one, they both spend a great deal of time chewing things over.
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And I read tonight that wasps deposit pulp while backing up. Makes sense. They certainly do come up with some great lines.

Fleck

...

In the mail this week

... a signed copy of Cantilevered Songs by John Lent.


Big thanks to Tracy for this. I wanted to attend one of Lent's readings when he was touring through Saskatchewan, but it didn't work out. Also in the package was this cool ruler. Rulers of Impressionism. Paul Cezanne is at the 3 1/4 inch mark.

Speaking of Lent, I finished Abundance: The Mackie House Conversations about the Writing Life last night. The conversation between John Lent and Robert Kroetsch was just what I needed. It was inspiring. I spent the day writing in what I'm now calling my cave, eager to roll a boulder in front of the door. Before rolling it in place I'll likely give a little wave and say see ya. In three years. No sooner. Unless I run out of ink. Mind you, I can order that online. After all, we do have courier service up here.

Now back in the cave. Open...Saskatchewan!