Dan P Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Taken 12-25-2020 in the afternoon near Haskell Creek in the Sepulveda Basin, Van Nuys, CA. I hardly ever get sparrows at my house -- only an occasional White-crowned. And the places I normally go, if I see any its only two or three. But on Christmas day I found where all the sparrows hang out. I may have seen 50 to 100. Of the attached photos, I believe they are all Savannah, except for the 3rd one a Song, and the last one (no. 11) I have no idea. But some of those that I've identified as Savannah may actually be Song. Comments please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 All looks like Savannah’s (thin pink bills, some have the yellow smudge, thin streaking) except the last one, which is something different, think maybe a song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 1-9: Savannah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 10 is a Vesper. I'm not sure what 11 is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birding Boy Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Any other shots of #11? I think it is a Song Sparrow, but its tough to tell. Not many other options though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Ahh, have to study Vespers more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 10 minutes ago, Birding Boy said: Any other shots of #11? I think it is a Song Sparrow, but its tough to tell. Not many other options though. Only one other frame of #11, but it is essentially identical. I realized I needed to go to manual focus to get through the twigs, but by the time I did, the bird took off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 Here is another shot of #10 -- the Vesper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 (edited) All are song except the #10 and 11. 10 is vesper, but I don’t know the last one. The dark stripes on buff should be good, as well as the small triangular bill. I am unfamiliar with western sparrows. edit: sorry, didn’t see the other posts Edited January 1, 2021 by Avery 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 1-9. Savannah Sparrow 10. Vesper Sparrow 11. Song Sparrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 28 minutes ago, Jefferson Shank said: 1-9. Savannah Sparrow 10. Vesper Sparrow 11. Song Sparrow What pointed you to song for 11? Is there a subspecies with those buffy flanks? I can see a songish facial pattern, I’m just wondering for education purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLecy Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 2 minutes ago, Avery said: What pointed you to song for 11? Is there a subspecies with those buffy flanks? I can see a songish facial pattern, I’m just wondering for education purposes. That tail is all Song Sparrow. Note how long the tail is and the rounded tips are diagnostic versus Lincoln's or Savannah, which show straight or "sharp" edges to the rectrices. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 What pointed you to song for 11? Is there a subspecies with those buffy flanks? I can see a songish facial pattern, I’m just wondering for education purposes. That tail is all Song Sparrow. Note how long the tail is and the rounded tips are diagnostic versus Lincoln's or Savannah, which show straight or "sharp" edges to the rectrices. Also note the thickness of the beak and the thick streaks on its side and breast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 Thanks everyone. My first Vesper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jefferson Shank Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Thanks everyone. My first Vesper! Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexHenry Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 16 minutes ago, Dan P said: Thanks everyone. My first Vesper! Pretty uncommon or rare where you are, right? Good bird! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 The eBird bar charts for this area shows a low frequency of observations throughout the fall, but no observations after the 2nd week of December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexHenry Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Dan P said: The eBird bar charts for this area shows a low frequency of observations throughout the fall, but no observations after the 2nd week of December. I’m not sure about Southern California, but this was a good fall for them in the Bay Area. Usually in areas where they are rare, Vesper Sparrows are found mixed in with flocks of Savannah Sparrows, at least in my experience. Always cool to find a rare bird! That is 100% a Vesper Sparrow by the way. Edited January 2, 2021 by AlexHenry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 7 minutes ago, Dan P said: The eBird bar charts for this area shows a low frequency of observations throughout the fall, but no observations after the 2nd week of December. Actually, I found a more precise location on eBird charts: Los Angeles River - Sepulveda Basin It shows a low frequency of Vesper Sparrows in Sept/Oct, and the last week of Feb. No observations in Nov/Dec/Jan. This bird was photographed on the bank of Haskell Creek, right at the confluence with the Los Angeles River. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLecy Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Good bird for sure this time of year. Did you post to eBird? Could still be a count week for the local CBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 1 hour ago, DLecy said: Good bird for sure this time of year. Did you post to eBird? Could still be a count week for the local CBC. I just posted that one Vesper Sparrow to eBird. I had created an eBird account a few weeks ago and posted one short checklist as a test. So this is my second posting. Thanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 (edited) 13 hours ago, Avery said: What pointed you to song for 11? Is there a subspecies with those buffy flanks? I can see a songish facial pattern, I’m just wondering for education purposes. Many of the subspecies in the heermanni group of SOSP have buffy flanks. Edited January 2, 2021 by Connor Cochrane 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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