Tuesday, May 3, 2011

A Plethora of Sparrows And a Yellow-rumped Warbler of the Vermilon River. A Post to WBW.

American Tree Sparrow


American Tree Sparrow

Song Sparrow


Song Sparrow


Savannah Sparrow


Savannah Sparrow


Dark-eyed Junco


Dark-eyed Junco


Dark-eyed Junco


Dark-eyed Junco


White-throated Sparrow


White-throated Sparrow


White-throated Sparrow


White-crowned Sparrow


Yellow-rumped Warbler


Yellow-rumped Warbler.
 If you have been following my last series of posts, especially the hiking ones you'll note that I have changed the look, including copy areas, and increased the number of photos. Part of the reason is that I've started to do landscapes, and talk about the area. The other reason is that I thought initially I would run out of photos when heavy winter set in. This was not the case, so you're getting more photos. I haven't done an editorial type post for a while and that's because Boom & I are trying to puzzle through somethings and we're pretty slow at thinking. When I was younger I thought I understood and knew a lot, that's sure not true now.

Anyway this post is about my wonderful selection of sparrows-- I know those dull little brown birds that are everywhere, but take a good look at these guys, they're multicoloured and adaptable to their environment.

We don't have as many Savannah's as farming areas would have, because, I suspect, we lack the open areas that they like.

Just for those who are uncertain Dark-eyed Juncos are Sparrows, and aren't they a wow with even different subspecies. Our forest is home to the slate or dark coloured ones.

I included the Yellow-rumped Warbler who like the junco is a resident here, but migrates south in the winter. Isn't he a beauty?? By the way I'm not knocked out with his name. There most be a bunch of birders somewhere in a dark backroom thinking up funny names.

These shots are all from various hikes, but are accumulated to give you an impression of what a wilderness forest is home to in terms of a species, and all the members of that species are not here. I choose the title," A Plethora...." because a former mayor of the Valley of Death used the word extensively. I thought, and still do that he was, and is a pretentious twit.

A Post to WBW @ http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/
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67 comments:

  1. Buttons ThoughtsMay 3, 2011 at 6:51 AM

    Thank you this is fascinating. Beautiful shots. B I like your last sentence.

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  2. DinaMay 3, 2011 at 6:52 AM

    Great shots of these little guys. I feel like the little ones are so hard to get. They don't sit still for a second.

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  3. TexWisGirlMay 3, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    My hubby and I love that word "plethora" only from the Steve Martin movie, "The Three Amigos". When the leader of that Mexican gang/town is celebrating his birthday and asks, "Would you say I have a plethora of presents?!" :)

    I adore sparrows. You've got a great variety here.

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  4. SLHMay 3, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Love the Yellow-rumped Warbler and White-crowned sparrow! Great job!

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  5. Kay L. DaviesMay 3, 2011 at 9:48 AM

    I didn't think "plethora" sounded like you, Gary! LOL
    I love the idea of birders in a dark back room thinking up names for birds, however.
    But, really, I had no idea there could be so many different kinds of sparrows in one area. I'm so used to the "house sparrow" — I'm going to have to see how many kinds of sparrows there are in BC and Alberta. I don't know as much now as I did when I was young, either, so I have to do a lot of research.
    Thanks for a wonderful post, with fabulous photos!
    — K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  6. SpringmanMay 3, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    Shall we have a Golden-emboldened warbler? Agreed, it's hard to get the balance right between "Yellow-rumped" and "plethora" but you certainly have given us both!
    The Savannah sparrow is my favorite in your wonderful study. And yes, more photos please.
    Hope you and Boom get your puzzle straightened out soon!

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  7. DawnMay 3, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Love these....and yes- we should rename a few of these. I love nothing better than a plethora of sparrows!

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  8. AnonymousMay 3, 2011 at 10:26 AM

    Beautiful shots! I love sparrows!

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  9. BirdingMaineMay 3, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    Excellent series on the Sparrows Gary!

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  10. FjällripanMay 3, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    Wonderful! I were going to say I liked the Savannah sparrow the most...but then I saw the rest...they are all very beutiful!

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  11. RajeshMay 3, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Amazing variety of sparrows.

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  12. AnonymousMay 3, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    I love your collection of Sparrows! I had a White-throated Sparrow overwinter here and was so impressed by his lovely markings. Juncos have departed here, but I really love to watch them in winter. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is a pretty bird.

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  13. theconstantwalkerMay 3, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Your images are stunning Gary. You have some beautiful little birds in Canada.

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  14. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:02 PM

    Well he is a twit, Buttons.

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  15. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:02 PM

    They are flighty and hard to get Dina!!

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  16. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    I'd forgotten about the use of plethora in that movie Texwisgirl. I wonder if that's where he got the word from? No because my mayor was serious when he used it.

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  17. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Thanks SLH.

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  18. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:06 PM

    At least as many as here Kay.

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  19. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:07 PM

    Better than "yellow-rumped" Springman.

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  20. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    Thanks Dawn.

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  21. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:09 PM

    Thanks Marissa!!

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  22. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:10 PM

    Thanks BirdingMaine!!

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  23. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    They are Fjallripan!!

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  24. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    There are Rajesh!!

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  25. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    Thanks BRC.

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  26. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    They are beauties Andrew!!

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  27. Ryan AnkenyMay 3, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    That's a great collection of photos. I rank sparrows up there with the warblers, they are beautiful to me, not just little brown jobs like some people think. :)

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  28. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 12:40 PM

    Definitely not dull, getting close like here reveals their beauty! This shows that you don't have to find the most rare birds to make great photos :)

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  29. Malgorzata IngstadMay 3, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    Great collection - so nice to see you giving the sparrows your attention. Fantastic photos! Who can imagine our world without them?
    Thank you for your coment - no, there were no females around. For me it looked like they tried to kill one of them. I was quite shaky afterwords.

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  30. mickMay 3, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    So many sparrows! But seen up close like that they are all different and all beautiful. Great photos.

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  31. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    Well you know how I feel especially when a new one joins the group, Ryan.

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  32. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    Very true OB!!

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  33. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    Sparrow are well worth the effort MT.

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  34. UnknownMay 3, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    Strange how different they are even though they share the brown,beige and white, mick.

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  35. ChrisMay 3, 2011 at 1:58 PM

    Not only flowers are blooming around you but also warblers. What an impressive collection Gary. Maybe I'll visit you one day to add more than 100 species on my list ;-)

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  36. Inger-MMay 3, 2011 at 2:26 PM

    You're right, those little guys are beautiful when you get a close look at them. Great captures!

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  37. DaveMay 3, 2011 at 3:13 PM

    Hardley little brown jobs Gary. Very delicate colourings to start with, but all the species have a splash of colour giving it its own identity. I think the Savannah Sparrow is my fav

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  38. KarenMay 3, 2011 at 4:28 PM

    Plethora is one of my favorite words Gary! Yay for more pix, I really enjoy all the birds you photograph.

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  39. boniferMay 3, 2011 at 5:06 PM

    I also enjoy sparrows, Gary, I love the sounds from some of them, you caught nice pics, am looking forward to seeing more of these in the next few weeks..I have seen one 'yellow rumped warbler' a few years ago at camp, and didn't know what it was, hope I see another one this year...

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  40. FotokarusellenMay 3, 2011 at 11:37 PM

    This is really a great post and a beautiful set of images. Well done!

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  41. NatureFootstepMay 4, 2011 at 1:29 AM

    oh dear, so many goodlooking sparrows. I envy you.
    And you got great shots too.

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  42. eileeninmdMay 4, 2011 at 2:03 AM

    Wonderful photos of all the sparrows and the Yellow RUmp is a beauty.

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  43. jeanlivingsimpleMay 4, 2011 at 7:31 AM

    I do enjoy seeing a few of these sparrows in winter. Glad to see them safe in their nesting range. Superb images, Gary!

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  44. Empty NesterMay 4, 2011 at 11:11 AM

    Your photos are lovely! I really enjoy my sparrows and yellow rump warblers but I haven't seen them in over a month.

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  45. Bob BushellMay 4, 2011 at 2:15 PM

    They are truly beautiful, a good idea of yours.

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  46. SondraMay 4, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    Well they are all beautiful!! Im especially blown away by the beautiful capture of the Savannah Sparrow!

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  47. Amila KanchanaMay 4, 2011 at 4:38 PM

    Gorgeous fluffy little things they are! We only have House Sparrows here,and they seem to have started to prefer cities and towns instead of village houses.

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  48. GuyMay 4, 2011 at 7:00 PM

    Hi Gary I like the added photos and the fact you are giving us a sense of your environment with some location shots. You have done a great job in capturing all the small differences between the various sparrows. All the best to you and Boomer.

    Guy

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  49. LarryMay 4, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    What an awesome collection of sparrows Gary, and the Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of my favorites. You have a different subspecies than we have here. Your "Myrtle" Warbler is very handsome with his white throat. We have the "Audubon's" Warbler with a bright yellow throat here. We call them "butter butts".

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  50. AnonymousMay 5, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    What delightful yellow markings! And the sky is a gorgeous shade of blue.

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  51. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:34 AM

    There are a lot of species here Chris. If you visit phone first and I'll order up some good weather!!

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  52. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:34 AM

    Thanks Inger for the kind words!!

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  53. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:35 AM

    Hi Dave. Funny though we need reminding that even the most common is a beauty.

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  54. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:36 AM

    Thanks Karen.

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  55. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:37 AM

    They're suppose to be common here Bonifer. I expect they hide in the forest.

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  56. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:38 AM

    Thanks Fotokarusellen.

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  57. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:39 AM

    Thanks NF. Almost a rival to Costa Rica?

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  58. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:39 AM

    He is Eileen.

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  59. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:40 AM

    They're sure here Jean. I've been brushing Boom and a lot of his reject fur goes missing.

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  60. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:41 AM

    They're here EN.

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  61. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:41 AM

    Glad to see you back safely Bob.

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  62. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:42 AM

    Thanks Sondra.

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  63. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:42 AM

    Thanks AK.

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  64. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:43 AM

    Thanks Guy. Are you getting a consistent spring yet?

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  65. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:44 AM

    Hi Larry. You sent me back for a read on the subspecies, interesting isn't it??

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  66. UnknownMay 5, 2011 at 4:45 AM

    A bit more spring everyday ladyfi.

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  67. Pat UlrichMay 7, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    such lovely birds, I especially like the shots of the Savannah sparrows!

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