Buntings and New World Sparrows

Clay-colored Sparrow - Spanish Banks Beach, BC We occasionally get rare sparrows that stop by during migration. This little gray collared fellow was in late in the season, making himself comfortable with a mixed flock of Savanah's, Golden-crowned, White-crowned sparrows and Dark-eyed Junco down at Spanish Banks Beach. Clay-colored sparrows can be found in the eastern interior of BC, but rarely ever summer here in the Vancouver area. Most will head south to Mexico on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Clay-colored Sparrow - Spanish Banks Beach, BC
American Tree Sparrow - Surrey Lake, BC One of the smaller sparrows that visit for the winter here in Vancouver. This little guy is identified by the lightness of the overall bird with a rusty eyeline and crown, clean chest and the clean spot mid chest. This bird and a partner were found on a bird count for IBA (Important Bird Area) BC017 or Boundary Bay - Roberts Bank- Sturgeon Bank. They were down a bit of a dyke towards the Serpentine River. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
American Tree Sparrow - Surrey Lake, BC
Catching the last of the sun on a late winter morning this White-crowned sparrow was perched in a crabapple tree just off a dyke on Boundary Bay. I was surprised to see how long the fruit lasted over the winter on this tree. Most of the birds here prefer the native Pacific Crabapple which is substantially smaller than this imported variety. Something I just learned about these birds is they can stay awake for up to two weeks at a time during migration!! Eating during the day as a preference and flying up to 300 miles a night. Picture
White-crowned Sparrow - Boundary Bay, BC
Lark Sparrow - Chopka, BC One of the hottest places in Canada is the road that leads to the Nighthawk Border Crossing from British Columbia to Washington State. Along this road you can find birds found no where else in the province due to its desert climate and sagebrush habitat. The Lark Sparrow is one of those birds that live in this very specific area. This was part of a pair busily collecting insects, mostly grasshoppers, for the young hidden away near a pile of granite boulders. Michael W Klotz 2021 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Lark Sparrow - Chopka, BC
Lark Bunting - Ballyneal Golf Club, CO A dramatic transformation happens in the fall for these birds. The Lark bunting in the breeding season is an exercise in contrast with the jet black body and white wing patches which is completely different from the fall, when the bird turns the color of the fields it feeds in and stays that way for the winter. The one give away for this bird is the white wing patch along the folded wing and a white throat. Lark bunting require windswept fields to nest in the summer and winter in along the US-Mexico border and midway down into central Mexico. Michael W Klotz - www.TheBirdBlogger.com
Lark Bunting - Ballyneal Golf Club, CO
Fox Sparrow - Reifel Bird Sanctuary One of the things I could never understand is why these birds were called Fox Sparrows. That is until I saw what the East coast birds looked like. Our west coast birds, like many other year round residents here are
Fox Sparrow - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, BC
Snow Bunting - Powell River, BC During a recent stake out of the Red-backed Shrike, a very rare bird to BC, a Snow bunting was found on the claim. In the short dewy grass, this little sparrow-like bird was picking through the gravel for a little breakfast. Snow Buntings are found throughout the northern climates in the summer but make their way south to a band just on either side of the US-Canada border. The brown feathers of this bird are a winter addition with the summer plumage a striking black and white. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Snow Bunting - Powell River, BC
Snow Bunting - Blackie Spit, BC One of Vancouver's best location for birding is along a stretch of sand at the end of Nicomekl River in the little community of Crescent Beach. This year we have been very lucky to have a wintering group of Snow Buntings staying with us here. During the winter months the brown plumage keeps them safe in sandy and grassy areas where they forage out seeds. In the Summer, they are a striking black and white. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Snow Bunting - Blackie Spit, BC
Chipping Sparrow - Anarchist Mountain, BC East of Osoyoos the climb to the top of Anarchist Mountain is a steep and windy trek with the landscape and the birds changing quickly. The main draw is the fancy Williamson's Sapsucker at the top. We didn't get to see the mostly black bird, but there were plenty others including this Chipping Sparrow. These birds sound more like a grasshopper or cicada with the trilly high pitched song. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Chipping Sparrow - Anarchist Mountain, BC
Savannah Sparrow - Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty, BC Long light, drift wood and a thoughtful Savannah Sparrow make for a good shot one spring evening along the ferry jetty out of Tsawwassen. We have these little yellow-browed sparrows year round along the coast but this was taken in April during migration for these guys. A good deal of grassland birds travel up the coast and find spits of land to refuel their stomachs on their way north. The Jetty is a great place to find unusual migrants. Michael W Klotz 2020 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Savannah Sparrow - Tsawwassen Ferry Jetty, BC