Saturday, April 4, 2026
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Thursday, September 10, 2020
091020 Birding On a Shoestring: Wyoming Part 3
082520 Common Merganser
Common Raven
Black-billed Magpie
082720 Brewer's Blackbird
Ethete area
Female Greater Sage Grouse
Sage Thrasher
Wild Horses 1
Wild Horses 2
082820 Vesper Sparrow
Red Canyon
082920 Trumpeter Swan
Ray Lake Marsh
This wound up my time in Wyoming. My hopes are to be returning soon to locate many more target birds.
Monday, September 7, 2020
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Vesper Sparrow
Half the state will see the Vesper Sparrow as a winter resident (in the southern half) and the northern half will see it as a migrant.
As a short grass prairie breeder it often perches on barbed wire or small trees, not mixing with other sparrow species in the Northern US and Canada. In the winter, it can be found in loose flocks upon agricultural fields or dry and sparsely vegetated pastures. It is best to look for them in full song at that time, as they are at their least shy during the breeding season.
Rarely observed, it has a small red shoulder patch, thin white eyering, flashes white outer tail feathers while in flight, and sings a sweet series of trills within the vespers of twilight.
They will quickly settle in abandoned farm fields and old mines as they revert to their forest stature.
These ground dwellers and nesters scratch upon the ground and take frequent dust baths. After the breeding season, they will migrate south and forage with mixed sparrow species that include Brewer's, Savannah, and Grasshopper Sparrows, as well as the Lark Bunting.
Vesper Sparrow
Boomer Lake Park, 2015
Populations are declining to some degree due to likely loss of grassland habitat, frequent mowing of fields, early harvest, and hedgerow removal. Certain populations could become threatened or endangered due to this continued activity in the eastern ranges, but in general, they are still a species of low concern. They enjoy meadows with open soil, stubble fields, and grassy areas above sandy beaches.
They are rather early spring migrants and return later in the fall. They usually have been peaking in May and October.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Rare Bird Alert--Lark Sparrow, and Uncommon Bird Alert--Vesper Sparrow
Carolina Wren
Vesper Sparrow
Lesser Scaup
American Robin
Male Northern Cardinal
Male Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Female Downy Woodpecker
Carolina Chickadee
35 to 54 degrees F/0740-1150 hrs./sunny/lights and variable winds
These were pictures from the 15th, 16th, and today. By far, even though it was much cooler,
this was a much better birding day out of the week. Sometimes the cold does out things, by bringing out a few more birds. In general, there were many sparrows more prevalent over the week, including
the Lark Sparrow, who is easily a good month early. This is a bird that is relatively rare to Boomer Lake, and we might see it once or twice a year if we are very fortunate.
Another somewhat uncommon bird to the area is the Vesper Sparrow, the first that I have seen, very
nearly in the same vicinity as the Lark Sparrow, but four days earlier. It makes me wonder if I might find another new sparrow next week, but that is likely wishful thinking.
The picture for the Carolina Wren is my first, even though I have been hearing the bird call for
several years. I happened to visit one of my hot spots and there were several there to choose from, so I was patient and waited for one to come to me.
It was a remarkable day, and perhaps tomorrow will bring even more surprises.