Back side view of a Song Sparrow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Just a few days ago I was listening to Song Sparrows singing on the East Coast and yesterday I was listening to them singing in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah. Song Sparrows have a huge range which extends from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska all the way to the East Coast covering all the states of the continental U.S. and into Mexico. The plumage of this species varies by locality but by listening to them sing I can usually tell that they are Song Sparrows without even seeing them.
You can listen to a Song Sparrow singing here or watch them singing in a video here.
I’d seen this Song Sparrow singing high up in a tree yesterday near a creek but there were branches and leaves in front of it so when it dropped down and landed on a branch near the water I was happy to photograph it even though it only gave me a view of its back side.
I suspect that it won’t be long before I will be seeing young Song Sparrows learning how to forage, fly and sing on their own in the same area where I photographed this adult yesterday morning.
It was good to get back up into the mountains yesterday and to drive along slowly looking for and listening to the birds I found.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Song Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.
The song sparrows are out with their young in my yard.
That is a distinctive song – and powerful for such a small bird. Thank you.
I enjoy this shot because it really makes me wonder what he’s looking at and thinking about. Welcome home. 🙂
Thank you for sharing the image (and songs) which we only occasionally get to enjoy during migration. Even then, they don’t sing very often.
Love the composition.
Such a pensive look. Tail feathers looking a little ragged. Thank you for sharing!