Young White-crowned Sparrow portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Last week on the same day that I photographed an immature Osprey in the West Desert I also photographed a few White-crowned Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos up high in the mountains.
I was sitting quietly in my Jeep listening to the nearby birds singing and calling when a small group of sparrows were flushed by something I couldn’t see and they all flew into a juniper that was close to where I was parked. I hoped that at least one of the sparrows would perch on the rabbitbrush that was next to the juniper when they reappeared from the safety of the cover of the junipers.
One by one the White-crowned Sparrows peeked out of the juniper to make sure the area was safe. One of the adults stepped out onto the ground below the rabbitbrush but my side view mirror made it impossible for me to photograph it without moving my Jeep. I knew that starting my engine would flush the birds again so I waited and hoped that one of the sparrows would fly to the top of the bright yellow rabbitbrush.
An adult sparrow flew to the top of the juniper and looked around before it flew down to the ground to join the other adult that was foraging on the ground. That adult was so close that I took a few portraits of it but I noticed that I had strong shadows on the body of the bird from the juniper boughs through my viewfinder.
Close to ground level a young White-crowned Sparrow hopped to the top of a low juniper branch that was in front of the blooming rabbitbrush. I focused on it and took a short burst of photos before it flew to the ground and foraged with the adults.
I didn’t get the photos I wanted of the sparrows perched on the rabbitbrush but I like this portrait of the young White-crowned Sparrow in front of it just as well.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my White-crowned Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.
I feel like this little guy is popping in to thank you for your compassion toward the natural world.
Another beautiful portrait! I love how you off-centered the sparrow so the background could filter in. The eye contact is perfecto. Thanks Mia.
Simply beautiful. The colour in the background is also lovely.
Thank you. Again.
Beautiful bird and photo. Very nice feather quality on the young bird!