White-throated Sparrow adult in northern Utah – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Yesterday I found my first White-throated Sparrow in Utah, photographed it, and when I pointed it out to a friend this sparrow became a lifer for them. I had been photographing House Finches and White-crowned Sparrows when this uncommon feathered visitor popped into my view. As soon as my camera locked on to the sparrow I said “Oh. Wow!” out loud and fired away.
This species isn’t rare enough here to be on the review list for the Utah Bird Records Committee but they aren’t found all that often either.
As I focused on taking photos of this bird I was asked how I knew what species it was and I listed a few of the key identification features including the bright, white throat and the yellow spots between the sparrow’s eye and bill.
Adult White-throated Sparrow tucked into a greasewood – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I have missed seeing this sparrow species and for me it felt like I was seeing and saying hello to an old friend after many years apart.
White-throated Sparrows used to be regulars during the winter in my garden in Virginia where they delighted me with their songs and calls near my bird feeders. They usually appeared about the same time as the Dark-eyed Juncos that showed up in my garden before the first winter snow fall.
White-throated Sparrow eating greasewood seeds – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The White-throated Sparrow I found yesterday was busy feeding on the same greasewood seeds that attract the House Finches, White-crowned Sparrows and other small birds.
Adult White-throated Sparrow perched on a greasewood – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
An interesting and unusual fact about this species is that White-throated Sparrows are seen in two morphs, white-crowned and tan-crowned. Those morphs persist because they almost always mate with a bird of the opposite morph. I would call this sparrow a white-crowned morph.
White-throated Sparrow adult in Davis County, Utah – Nikon D500, f8, 1/800, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This White-throated Sparrow delighted me and made an otherwise slow bird day exciting. I hope to see and photograph this beautiful sparrow species again soon.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see my White-throated Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.
So beautiful! A wonderful capture!
What an exciting find!
What a cool series of portraits. The composition of each pic is wonderful; the color and detail [as always]… simply spectacular. God, how I wish I had your eye. Thanks Mia.
How lovely. And I really like your description that seeing it was like meeting up with an old friend.
So nice to see one of our common birds exciting attention out your way. Migrants come through in September through early October here and scratch about on the ground under the feeders. They are common nesters in the White Mountains above treeline where their songs cut hauntingly through the mists and curtains of fogs. Thanks for sharing!