Strong and steady winds kept sparrows fairly low in the sticks and vegetation over the weekend. Thursday night's cold front and northwest winds brought millions of sparrows down from Canada. I remember how amazed I was when I first learned that the majority of songbirds migrate during the nighttime hours. I realized there were nocturnal birds like owls, nightjars, etc, but songbirds flying beneath a canopy of stars captivated my imagination. Like other birders, I've tried to picture in my mind what it would be like to be up there with them.
White-crowned Sparrow
Early Friday morning at Pheasant Branch prairie there were newly arrived White-crowned Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, Eastern Towhees, and Dark-eyed Juncos. Protected from the wind on the eastern slope of the drumlin, I observed dozens of Field Sparrows, Song Sparrows, and Chipping Sparrows, perched together in the young oaks. I strongly suspect these concentrated birds were migrants because their numbers were higher than the prairie's breeding season population of these species.
Fox Sparrow
There were also White-throated Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrows, and Fox Sparrows. Though the Lincoln's Sparrows were relatively quiet with their little cricket-like buzz calls, White-throated Sparrows and Fox Sparrows were occasionally bursting into to full song. The Fox Sparrow's melodious tune is one of the sweetest birdsongs I know. Hearing their cheerful sweeping notes emanating from scrubby edges was a highlight of my morning walk.
All images © 2011 Mike McDowell