This was my 8th year counting birds for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Some years I venture out to find birds at wetlands or local parks. This year, I only counted birds at home. We had a little snow, which I think kept some birds in hiding. Also, I didn’t get out as often as I sometimes do. So, although I spotted a number of birds, they were the typical ones that hang out closer to our house than off in the trees.

Dark-eyed Junco

I may be wrong, but I feel like we used to have far more Junco’s in the winter than we have had the last couple years. I did see a couple, though, during the GBBC.

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Click here to read more about theses sparrows

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

To read more about them, click here

Varied Thrush

We don’t see these feathered friends very often. But I know there are a couple that visit us and I was fortunate to see one during the GBBC.

Ravens & American Crow

I saw both Ravens and Crows flying overhead a couple of the GBBC days.

Steller’s Jay

Gray Jay

To read more about one of my favorite birds, click here

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The white-crowned sparrow is common around our house in the foothills of Oregon’s coast range. We have the Pacific subspecies with a yellow beak.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: black and white striped
THROAT: light gray or white
BREAST: gray
BELLY: gray
WINGS: streaked brown, faint white bars
TAIL: long
BACK: streaked brown and gray
BILL: yellow
EYE: brown

ADULT

IMMATURE

I’m not 100% positive, but I believe this to be an immature sparrow molting. He/she is a bit rough looking.

A young one with and adult.

HABITAT

White-crowned sparrows prefer the edges of shrubby woodlands.

We tend to see the golden-crowned sparrow more during the winter months and the white-crowned sparrow the remainder of the year.

FEEDING

White-crowned sparrows forage on the ground searching for insects. They will also catch them mid air.

The sparrows also like seeds, whether from our feeder or wild grasses. They will also choose berries to eat.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: New World Sparrows
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zonotrichia leucophrys

Flock of white-crowned sparrows bathing in our pond.

White-crowned sparrow with his cousin, the golden-crowned sparrow.

NESTING

Around here, I find their nests a foot or two above ground hiding in a shrub.

Mama sparrow sits on her eggs about 12 days before they hatch. The hatchlings leave the nest at about a week to week and a half old.

We have to watch for the little guys, as they are sometimes on the ground.

PHOTO GALLERY

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It’s no secret that I love birds. Since getting a decent camera I have enjoyed trying to take photos of these mostly shy creatures.

To help me sort through photos of individual species, and learn along the way, I’m going to highlight one bird species we see at our house each month through 2017.

This first highlighted bird is a common one ’round here: the Golden-crowned Sparrow.

IDENTIFICATION

BACK: brown with dark brown streaks
BREAST: gray – streaking only in juveniles
BILL: conical shaped. dusky on top, paler on bottom
CROWN: Gold, bordered with black – not as noticeable in immature and winter birds
WINGS: 2 white bars
TAIL: long

BREEDING ADULT

BACK

HABITAT

BREEDING: Western Alaska to NW Washington
WINTER: West Coast woodlands from Southern British Columbia to Baja California

I often see these sparrows searching for food on the ground or perching in nearby brush.

The latest in spring I have noticed them at our house is early May. The earliest I’ve seen them return was mid September.

FEEDING

Forages mostly on the ground near dense shrubs for seeds, insects, fruits, grains, & greens.

Left: at our bird feeder
Right: searching for food in hay scooped out of our goat’s pen

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: New World Sparrows
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zonotrichia atricapilla

I often see the Golden-crowned sparrows with other sparrow friends.

Golden-crowned Sparrows &  Dark-eyed Juncos

Golden-crowned Sparrow & White-crowned Sparrow

PHOTO GALLERY

I always love watching birds explore, bathe and drink at our ponds.

Happy Birding!

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