White-throated Sparrows massing and feeding
White-throated Sparrows have arrived in tremendous numbers across the region, ready to eat you out of house and home all winter long! Before then, while the grass and earth is still exposed, without being snow-covered or frozen, they can feast on more natural meals. I took a bunch of photos of a few individuals in a group feeding on the lawn last week. There would not be much to chow down on if this were uniformly treated bright, green grass, one species that was chemically induced to look like the perfect lawn. These monocultures are taking up valuable habitat real estate and often consist...
Read MoreDark-eyed Junco variation
The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a favorite of mine from years of feeder watching. Staring at dozens of them at a time through the glass and thousands upon thousands over the years certainly taught me that they are such a variable species in terms of appearance. Not only do the browns, grays, and tans take on different hues, the birds sometimes appear to have distinct features that are not “right” for the species with streaking on the belly or flanks, eye-rings, and even wing bars! On a dark and dreary autumn day it can be a lot of fun to find a flock of birds to examine...
Read MoreWhite-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
If you feed birds at home in the east it is extremely likely you have White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) hanging out in your yard. They primarily scratch at and feed on seed on the ground. What struck me about this bird was how it was camouflaged so well with the earth and the fallen leaves. The oft seen species never appeared that way to me before even though all sparrows are mostly brown for a reason (life on the ground!), and I thought it was smart how well designed it was for feeding on the edge of woodlands like this one was. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
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