Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Fox Sparrow at my patch!

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It has been a few years, since living in Arizona, when I had least seen a Fox Sparrow.  The other day at my patch along the Jordan River in Salt Lake City I was excited to discover this large chunky Interior West Slate-colored Fox Sparrow mingled with a flock of White-crowned Sparrows and Oregon Dark-eyed Juncos.  They really do look large when compared side by side with the other sparrows.  My favorite feature of the Fox Sparrow is the triangle-shaped breast markings.

I went back to the same area the next day, this time armed with my camera, and was delighted to find the Fox Sparrow still there, but this time hanging out with American Robins.  Normally it stays hunkered down in the thickest part of the underbrush, but lucky for me it flitted up to this branch for a few seconds and I just held the shutter button down and rapid-fired away.


The Fox Sparrow is reported on less the 10% of the checklists submitted to eBird in Utah during Spring and Summer (Thanks for the eBird stat correction Ryan!).  They are occasionally seen in Idaho, but I never was fortunate enough to see one there.  I saw Fox Sparrows seven times in Arizona, but hadn't yet learned to appreciate them as I was so new to birding.  Absence does indeed make the heart grown fonder.

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20 comments:

  1. Julie G.April 6, 2011 at 6:51 AM

    Splendid images of a beautiful bird!

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  2. UnknownApril 6, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    @Julie G. - Thanks Julie! I was so glad to see this foxy sparrow again.

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  3. THOMASApril 6, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Very nice blog!
    thomas from Greece.

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  4. Ryan O'DonnellApril 6, 2011 at 9:55 AM

    Nice shots. I was surprised to read that they are seen on less than 1% of checklists in Utah in summer, so I went to eBird. Looks to me like about 2% of checklists in April and climbing up to about 10% in July:

    http://tinyurl.com/3gy2jaf

    (Click "Frequency" tab.)

    Thank you for sharing!

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  5. UnknownApril 6, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    You are correct Ryan - I am having problems on my laptop with Google Maps and eBird for some reason. When I check on a different computer I am getting correct information. Probably time to clear the cache!

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  6. ChrisApril 6, 2011 at 10:04 AM

    Fantastic sghting and beautiful pictures!

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  7. UnknownApril 6, 2011 at 12:03 PM

    Great pictures!
    I saw my first White Breasted Nuthatch this week. I was so excited!

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  8. Debbie Miller @HooootOwlApril 6, 2011 at 12:16 PM

    Wonderful images of the Fox sparrow!

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  9. FABApril 6, 2011 at 2:33 PM

    How great to reacquaint yourself with an old favourite. Very nice captures.

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  10. jeanlivingsimpleApril 6, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    I long to see a Fox Sparrow. Super-duper captures!

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  11. UnknownApril 6, 2011 at 5:43 PM

    @Chris - thanks for your regular visits and comments on my blog!

    @Kathy D. - Congrats on the WB Nuthatch! Was it your first ever or your first this year?

    @Debbie - Thanks!

    @Frank - It was great, like finding an old friend.

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  12. UnknownApril 6, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    @Jean - Thx for visiting Birding is Fun! and for leaving a comment. Your note prompted me to look up Fox Sparrow on eBird - looks like they are a Fall/Winter bird in Georgia, but are seen across the state. See the eBird map of recent sightings here: http://tinyurl.com/3mcs4zb

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  13. Mike B.April 6, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    I'm yet to see one- at least that I know of. I've probably seen tons of them and figured they were song sparrows! Now I know the difference, but I'm still waiting...

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  14. UnknownApril 7, 2011 at 6:22 AM

    @Mike B. - Fox Sparrows are pretty regular in Oregon, based on eBird stats. I think you get a couple of different races of Fox Sparrow in your area too.

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  15. UnknownApril 7, 2011 at 11:47 AM

    My first ever. I'm a new birder. The only reason my bird count is as high as it is is because of the many different birds we get down in the Rio Grande Valley.
    I was really lucky to start birding down there.

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  16. UnknownApril 7, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    @Kathy D. - Here I sit, insane with jealousy, of where you live and all your birds. I've got to get down to the Rio Grande Valley sometime.

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  17. UnknownApril 7, 2011 at 3:05 PM

    You'll really be jealous when I tell you I saw a Bare-throated Tiger Heron last year not a 1/4 mile from my house. :)
    I live right next to the World Birding Center in Mission, Texas. You have to come down here, it is the best place on earth.

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  18. mickApril 10, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    Great photos - they really show off the beautiful patterns down the front. btw I am intrigued with the number of different sparrows you have in north America. Here in Australia we only have two - and they were introduced into the country.

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  19. Birding is Fun!April 10, 2011 at 9:17 PM

    @Kathy D. - I remember hearing about that Bare-throated Tiger Heron last year. 1/4 mile from your house? Lucky you! So who gets the prize, Cape May New Jersey or Mission, TX for the best birding location in the USA?

    @Mick - We do have lots of different Sparrows in the United States...and we have learned to love those LBJ's - Little Brown Jobs. I'll trade you some Sparrows for some of Australia's amazing birds.

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  20. LarryApril 12, 2011 at 7:26 AM

    Great shots of the Fox Sparrow Robert! I was unaware of the Slate-colored" variety. Thanks for pointing out the triangle shaped breast markings. That is a good field mark for identifying these beauties, if you get to see one long enough to see them.

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