Entries to Win Afghan

Sign up to receive the Books Leaving Footprints Newsletter. Comes out occasionally. No spam. No list swapping. Just email me! jhyshark@gmail.com Previous gifts include a short story, a poem, and coupons. Add your name, and don't miss out!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Field Sparrow

 
I saw this little cutie, and knew it wasn't one of the ones I usually see up close. I took a bunch of pictures, and a few of them turned out!

field sparrow

Didn't that pose just make you smile? It's a field sparrow, Spizella pusilla. First of all, notice the clear breast- no spots or stripes, and the reddish crown. Those might be said of the chipping sparrow (although its head is much redder).


field sparrow

Ah, here are some real differences- the field sparrow has a white eye ring, white eyebrow, and only the upper back is striped. You'd have to be familiar with one or the other to have a sense of this, but the chippy is smaller. One more shot to point out the pink beak and legs.

He seems to be squinting at me, asking me why I'm spying on him.


field sparrow

I have to do the paper route for the next five days. Groan. I'm going to try hard to remain functional.

See Chipping Sparrow
if you like this blog, click the +1  

3 comments:

Secondary Roads said...

I see a couple of different sparrows around here, but I don't think I've seen a field sparrow. I find some of them hard to distinguish from each other.

Ann said...

I love sparrows, they're so cute. You did get some good shots of this one

Sharkbytes said...

Chuck- I don't know the really interesting ones. I'm getting better at the common ones. But most are so secretive one doesn't see them often.

Ann- really lucky! It didn't fly away and I just kept shooting hoping the camera was picking the bird to focus on some of the time.