Leucistic Savannah Sparrow
This appears to be a partially leucistic Savannah Sparrow, a migrant individual that I was surprised by yesterday morning. Leucism is when pigments are produced at less than normal levels or in an unexpected pattern. In this case many of the feathers on the head and throat do not have typical pigmentation. Interestingly the yellow patch on the face can still be seen, giving this unique bird an all the more fascinating look. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSavannah Sparrow
Masses of Savannah Sparrows are still on the move right now, pushing through our fields, grasslands, shrublands, farmlands and other open areas with significant food supplies and enough room to hide. Autumn allows you to study so many individual birds that show us how much variance there can be within what we call a species.
Read MoreSavannah Sparrow
This Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) was one of dozens of migrants of the species that I spotted this past weekend. Their numbers are increasing as they head south for the winter. As we go deeper into autumn we will see hundreds of them in fields, grasslands and farms across large open spaces in areas like Chautauqua County or coastal scrub and shrub habitat in locations such as Stratford Point. Get those Peterson Field Guides ready! They will not all be this easy to identify…
Read MoreJamestown Airport Birds
The boys are back in town! Bobolinks have taken over the grasslands around the Jamestown airport again and it makes me happy! Our plant and bird surveys are kicking into gear again – hoping for the return of Grasshopper and Henslow’s Sparrows soon. One of these birds was a nice surprise today – likely a late migrant, but perhaps the Northern Harrier will stick around and attempt to nest? Time will tell… Twan Leenders President
Read MoreBirds Blending In
Here we have the backs of two different bird species – can you identify them? I have posted them both recently as opportunistic winter birds, and this Horned Lark in a roadway and Savannah Sparrow in grasses have another thing in common here with wonderful camouflage working in two very different situations. It cracked me up how well the Lark blended in to the snow, dirt, salt and sand in the road, even in the bright sunlight. While that is not evolution it certainly worked out well. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read More
