{"id":73504,"date":"2020-09-06T04:58:25","date_gmt":"2020-09-06T10:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=73504"},"modified":"2025-08-08T13:29:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T18:29:06","slug":"immature-chipping-sparrow-in-the-wasatch-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/09\/06\/immature-chipping-sparrow-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Immature Chipping Sparrow In The Wasatch Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ImmatureImmature Chipping Sparrow on a fence \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

A few days ago I was able to photograph an immature Chipping Sparrow that landed on a wire fence next to a dusty road in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a>. The young sparrow was in good light and facing towards me. In the field I didn’t care much for the bright strands of the fence in the frame.<\/p>\n

I was able to take seventeen photos of the immature Chipping Sparrow on the fence before it took flight, as I recall a bicyclist rode by and flushed the bird.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Chipping Sparrow on a hawthorn branch \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Chipping Sparrow didn’t go far though. It landed on a branch at the base of some hawthorns and I was happy to photograph it on a natural perch.<\/p>\n

After looking at both photos at home on a large screen I decided I didn’t mind the wire fence in the first photo at all. Birds land where they want to land and I wouldn’t have it any other way.<\/p>\n

Chipping Sparrows are only here in northern Utah for the breeding season except for the far southwest corner of the state where they can be seen year round. I’m always delighted to hear them sing<\/span><\/a> in the spring and to hear their calls<\/span><\/a> the rest of the time they are here.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

A few days ago I was able to photograph an immature Chipping Sparrow that landed on a wire fence next to a dusty road in the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":152032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,3541,4594,26,773],"tags":[4897,3940,3543,3830,6566,10302,4067,4069,4104,855,4195,3544,2765,4193],"class_list":["post-73504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-chipping-sparrows","category-morgan-county","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-branch","tag-canyon","tag-chipping-sparrow","tag-fence","tag-hawthorn","tag-hawthorns","tag-immature","tag-mountains","tag-perched","tag-sparrow","tag-sparrows","tag-spizella-passerina","tag-wire","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-barb-wire-mia-mcpherson-0013.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-j7y","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":104800,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/08\/06\/immature-chipping-sparrow-in-the-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":73504,"position":0},"title":"Immature Chipping Sparrow In The Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed my first of season immature Chipping Sparrow on my last trip into the mountains as it perched on a thin dead willow branch.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Chipping Sparrow perched in willows, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-branch-mia-mcpherson-0943.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-branch-mia-mcpherson-0943.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-branch-mia-mcpherson-0943.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-branch-mia-mcpherson-0943.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53428,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/08\/focusing-on-young-chipping-sparrows-foraging-in-chokecherry-trees\/","url_meta":{"origin":73504,"position":1},"title":"Focusing on Young Chipping Sparrows Foraging in Chokecherry Trees","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent a few minutes yesterday morning focusing on young Chipping Sparrows foraging in a stand of Chokecherry trees, there were several of these juveniles flitting around in front of me in nice light.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Chipping Sparrow perched on a Chokecherry branch, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-chokecherry-mia-mcpherson-9943.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-chokecherry-mia-mcpherson-9943.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-chokecherry-mia-mcpherson-9943.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-immature-chokecherry-mia-mcpherson-9943.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":116937,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/12\/peekaboo-chipping-sparrow-in-fall\/","url_meta":{"origin":73504,"position":2},"title":"Peekaboo Chipping Sparrow In Fall","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A few days ago in the Wasatch Mountains, I had this Chipping Sparrow in my viewfinder long enough to only take 10 images. I liked this photo the most.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Peekaboo Chipping Sparrow, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/chipping-sparrow-fall-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-2777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/chipping-sparrow-fall-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-2777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/chipping-sparrow-fall-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-2777.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/chipping-sparrow-fall-nonbreeding-plumage-mia-mcpherson-2777.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52842,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/30\/chipping-sparrow-collecting-nesting-materials-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":73504,"position":3},"title":"Chipping Sparrow Collecting Nesting Materials in the Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"A few weeks ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains I watched and photographed a Chipping Sparrow that was busy collecting nesting materials.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chipping Sparrow collecting nesting materials, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-4107.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-4107.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-4107.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/chipping-sparrow-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-4107.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102402,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/15\/spring-chipping-sparrow-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":73504,"position":4},"title":"Spring Chipping Sparrow Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago I had a Chipping Sparrow in breeding plumage perched on sage at the edge of a forest in my viewfinder for a few seconds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chipping Sparrow with a tiny insect in its bill, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/chipping-sparrow-adult-on-sage-mia-mcpherson-3128.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/chipping-sparrow-adult-on-sage-mia-mcpherson-3128.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/chipping-sparrow-adult-on-sage-mia-mcpherson-3128.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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