Pages

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Winter Sparrow Extravaganza!

Great sparrows in the yard today! I have a large patch of ground recently revealed by the removal of a massive laurel hedge and the ground feeders are loving it. It helps that I reseeded the area today and, oh my, isn't grass seed tasty.

Oregon Juncos are plentiful in fall and winter and have been here in my yard just a few days. Song Sparrows are year-round but their numbers increase in the fall.

I got very excited when I saw this bird.......

It's the tan-striped form of the White-throated Sparrow! I don't see them all that often so it's pretty cool when they show up. They are a fairly common winter visitor in Oregon but not always a common backyard bird.



Check out the sparrows above and below. From the neck down they're about the same but the head pattern is the key field mark. The White-throated is above and the Golden-crowned Sparrow is below. They are in the same genus (Zonotrichia), including White-crowned Sparrows and Harris's Sparrow


I hope I'll soon be able to post photos of a Fox Sparrow.....a more regular winter visitor to my yard, er, garden.

4 comments:

NW Nature Nut said...

You just couldn't let me have the White-throated, you had to go and get one too!! My guy is a tan form too. Cool to see him, huh??

Beverly said...

What FUN!!!

I still have very, very few birds in my yard; it's almost spooky!

I've had White-crowned sparrows before...but have never ID-ed a White-throated one...nor a Fox Sparrow. Perhaps this year...I am getting better! LOL

Good birding!

animtreebird said...

Very beautiful birds. Nice photos. :)))

Whitney said...

Hi great readinng your blog