{"id":56730,"date":"2019-03-19T05:38:34","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T11:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=56730"},"modified":"2025-02-22T14:48:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T20:48:42","slug":"early-spring-american-tree-sparrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/19\/early-spring-american-tree-sparrow\/","title":{"rendered":"Early Spring American Tree Sparrow"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last time I wrote about American Tree Sparrows I said that they would be migrating soon and that I hoped I could take a few more photos of them before they migrated and I had that opportunity two days ago.<\/p>\n

\"SpringSpring American Tree Sparrow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I had been photographing nesting Black-billed Magpies when some movement in my peripheral vision caused me to look to my left where I saw this sparrow nearly hidden behind some dead sagebrush branches.<\/p>\n

I quickly moved my lens, focused on the sparrow and hoped that the bird would come out into the open.<\/p>\n

While the American Tree Sparrow didn’t fully come out into the open it did move to a better location where I had a clear view of its face and body and that was good enough for me.<\/p>\n

I knew it might be my last chance to photograph an American Tree Sparrow this season and I jumped at it.<\/p>\n

These sparrows breed in the northern reaches of North America and will be winging their way to their breeding grounds and I am almost certain that some are already on their way.<\/p>\n

During the late fall and throughout the winter I keep an eye out for these handsome sparrows that spend the winter here and though I will be sad to see them go I wish them a safe journey to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my American Tree Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The last time I wrote about American Tree Sparrows I said that they would be migrating soon and that I hoped I could take a few more photos of them before they migrated and I had that opportunity two days ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":140663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2133,511,27,1022,26],"tags":[4004,2815,6577,530,4104,855,4195,2134,165,9114],"class_list":["post-56730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-tree-sparrows","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-tree-sparrow","tag-branches","tag-migration","tag-perched","tag-sparrow","tag-sparrows","tag-spizelloides-arborea","tag-spring","tag-tree-sparrow"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-twigs-mia-mcpherson-2437.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-eL0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51108,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/03\/01\/photographing-american-tree-sparrows-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":56730,"position":0},"title":"Photographing American Tree Sparrows in Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I had a great deal of fun yesterday morning while photographing the American Tree Sparrows that I found in abundance on Antelope Island State Park foraging on the ground and perching on the bushes on the northern end of the island.","rel":"","context":"In "American Tree Sparrows"","block_context":{"text":"American Tree Sparrows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/emberzine-sparrows-allies\/american-tree-sparrows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Tree Sparrow on a bright winter day, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-snow-mia-mcpherson-4436.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-snow-mia-mcpherson-4436.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-snow-mia-mcpherson-4436.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-snow-mia-mcpherson-4436.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100447,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/06\/american-tree-sparrow-on-a-fragrant-sumac\/","url_meta":{"origin":56730,"position":1},"title":"American Tree Sparrow On A Fragrant Sumac","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I am sharing a simple photo of an American Tree Sparrow perched in a Fragrant Sumac that I took last month near a freshwater seep in the desert.","rel":"","context":"In "American Tree Sparrows"","block_context":{"text":"American Tree Sparrows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/emberzine-sparrows-allies\/american-tree-sparrows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Tree Sparrow on a Fragrant Sumac, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/american-tree-sparrow-adult-fragrant-sumac-mia-mcpherson-1313.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/american-tree-sparrow-adult-fragrant-sumac-mia-mcpherson-1313.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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and bicolored\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "American Tree Sparrows"","block_context":{"text":"American Tree Sparrows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/emberzine-sparrows-allies\/american-tree-sparrows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Tree Sparrow foraging on the bare ground, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-ground-mia-mcpherson-8839.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-ground-mia-mcpherson-8839.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-ground-mia-mcpherson-8839.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm seeing more American Tree Sparrows than I've seen since I moved to Utah in 2009 and I hope that means they had a very successful breeding season in 2017.","rel":"","context":"In "American Tree Sparrows"","block_context":{"text":"American Tree Sparrows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/emberzine-sparrows-allies\/american-tree-sparrows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Tree Sparrow up close, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-close-up-mia-mcpherson-8910.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/american-tree-sparrow-close-up-mia-mcpherson-8910.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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