Couldn't resist adding this icy tailed beauty.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Harris's Sparrow - Yard Bird
Although fairly easy to find out in the prairie near Golden City and Lockwood, the sighting of a Harris's Sparrow in or around Springfield is certainly uncommon. How convenient then that one showed up at my feeder this morning when the roads are ice-covered and treacherous!
Couldn't resist adding this icy tailed beauty.
Couldn't resist adding this icy tailed beauty.
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5 comments:
Congrats on such a great yard bird! When I lived in Fayetteville (AR) they were among my favorite winter visitors, though never enticed by my feeders. Like you mentioned, I had to head out to the grasslands to find them.
I am wondering: was the sparrow able to get those sunflower seeds, or are they teasingly coated with a layer of ice?
:-)
- Mike
Mike,
Actually, the Harris's is interesting. It will come in, eat a seed or two, then get a seed, and fly off to the butterfly bush, where it stays for 30-45 minutes. There are over 50 goldfinch and white crowns keeping the ice fairly open, and I just scattered sunflower seeds on the top of the ice. My regular feeders are in the house thawing, as they have 1/2-3/4 inch of ice on them, preventing me from opening them to refill.
We seem to get a bad ice storm once or twice/winter in the Ozarks these days. Although I wouldn't trade for your constant snows, I do wish I could just head to the Rio Grande Valley or SE Arizona during these times. :)
Greg, Some of us had to go into work, 'though the ice was more sever just ten miles south in Ozark. Hey, why are we consuming all these fossil fuels heading out to the prairie, when our targets end up in our back yards? I'll let you know when a Prairie Falcon assumes a winter territory centered on my roof(not holding breath). Good pix!
Lisa,
Yeah, I'll take a snow day from school anytime. They are certainly gifts, even when we must make them up!
Please do let me know when the Prairie Falcon shows up! In fact, put it on a leash until I can get there.
it sounds like your Harris's Sparrow behaves like my juncos, though they may stay under the feeder for a few minutes and not just a couple seeds. But then they fly into our butterfly bush and stay there for half an hour or so.
I'm wishing we had snow, the past week was ice, ice, ice - my feeders have been spending the nights inside so I can open/fill them in the morning. Very reminiscent of ice storms we'd get in F'ville. Part of my impetus for "Flashback Fridays" was to relive the warmer days of summer; I suspect the reverse will be true come August heat waves.
Good luck with the Prairie Falcon!
- Mike
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