Grasshopper Sparrow

Gallery: AvianPosted August 21, 2011141 views11 comments

This afternoon I checked out the local grasslands and aside from a few distant kestrels I didn't see anything.. as I was leaving I spotted this bird on a mullein stalk. I was able to make a relatively close approach by foot and I believe (based on the plumage and behavior) that this was a juvenile Grasshopper Sparrow.

Nikon D300s 300 f4 + 1.7X TC HH
f/8
1/1250s
ISO 400
-.33 EC

Cropped to 45%, sharpened using smart sharpen in CS5 on 27" iMac

- Luke

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on August 21, 2011 at 10:51 PM

The bird must be really tiny. Great job on getting this sharp image and getting the entire bird in front of the green part of the background.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on August 21, 2011 at 11:15 PM

Cool photo, Luke. But I wonder if this might be a Seaside Sparrow? The yellow spot above and ahead of the eye and the beefy bill argue against Grasshopper to me. I'm no expert on East coast sparrows; I generally screw up iDs of the West coast ones...

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on August 22, 2011 at 12:27 AM

The habitat sounds right for Grasshopper, and I know they are still hanging on in parts of NJ. But I agree with Jim's points about this perhaps being a Seaside Sparrow.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on August 22, 2011 at 1:09 AM

I like it, sweet composition, great thinking to put the bird strait up front of the edge of green BG

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on August 22, 2011 at 6:53 AM

Really like the comp here Luke. Nice that the bird is against the dark part of the BG making it stand out. Can't help with the ID as I stink at sparrow ID.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on August 22, 2011 at 9:34 AM

A strong composition Luke. I like the head turn and the errant feather.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Peter May on August 22, 2011 at 9:52 AM

I think your ID is correct. The yellow at the bend of the wing and the yellow in front of the eye are consistent with GRSP, as is habitat and GISS.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 7 Posts, 239 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on August 22, 2011 at 10:41 AM

Thanks for all the comments. I spoke with another photographer who has frequented this site and they believe this is a molting adult GRSP - not a juvenile.

I've photographed Seaside Sparrows before and I can say with certainty tihs is not one - especially when taking habitat/location into consideration. There isn't a hint of "seaside" habitat for many many miles, just lots of grasslands!

Here is a photo of a Seaside that I took for comparison:

seaside sparrow

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on August 22, 2011 at 12:30 PM

Cool minimalist shot Luke. Might have been interesting to get a touch lower to pull in a little blue sky and get 3 out of focus layers.

Mike

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on August 22, 2011 at 10:06 PM

Interesting composition. Really helps show the size of the bird.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on August 24, 2011 at 12:23 PM

Nice composition and I like two-toned BG's. However, I think I'd have preferred the BG divider to have been much lower in the frame.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments