My birding group observed three zonotrichia sparrow species at Pheasant Branch Conservancy over the weekend, which included at least two Harris's Sparrows on Sunday. There may have even been three. We found an immature bird near an adult at the first retention pond and another young bird along the gravel trail. It was overcast so I didn't bring along my digiscoping gear, but Shawn Miller got a documentation photograph of the adult that was in non-breeding plumage. That makes it four years in a row for this species at the conservancy.
Look! An ordinary waning gibbous moon in the bluest part of the morning sky. The light Saturday morning was better for photography, which was when I took these photographs for my blog. White-crowned Sparrows were abundant, though I thought it might yet be a little too early for Harris's Sparrow. There were also White-throated, Savannah, Song, Swamp, Lincoln's, Field, and Chipping Sparrows. While sifting through the sparrows, I came upon a young Sedge Wren that was a little wary and yet curious about my presence.
Sedge Wren
And some portraits of adult White-crowned Sparrows...
White-crowned Sparrow
They're rather elegant, don't you think?
Scratching in the gravel on the trail
Some of the other sparrows at the prairie parcel...
White-throated Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Sparrowlandia
Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
Oct 4, 2015 7:15 AM - 11:15 AM
51 species
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Ring-necked Pheasant
Great Blue Heron
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Sandhill Crane
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
All images © 2015 Mike McDowell