Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) photos by Larry Jordan
I caught this Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) as it was taking off from its perch back in the spring of 2009. I don’t see them all that often but the other day, while checking on my nest boxes at Palo Cedro Community Park, a little brown job (commonly known as an LBJ) flew up out of the grass as I was walking along the path (click on photos for full sized image).
When I first saw it I thought it was a Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), after all, they are pretty similar looking birds and the Savannah Sparrow is much more common around here.
I found this beauty a short while later. Notice the yellow eyebrow stripe and the primarily white throat, breast and belly. The breast streaked with brown. The Savannah Sparrow also usually has a pale beige median stripe through its crown.
The Lincoln’s Sparrow has a broad, buffy chest band with fine, black streaking continuing down the flanks, contrasting with a white belly. This distinguishes the Lincoln’s Sparrow from all other adult sparrows.
The photograph above was an individual I spotted later, shaded by the oak tree it was perched in. The first Lincoln Sparrow I spotted as it flew up out of the grass, perched on a chain link fence close by in the sun.
Those beautiful colors just pop out at you. The gray eyebrow stripe contrasting with the buffy eye ring and the overall gray head really making the chestnut striped crown stand out.
One of the best ways to tell these two birds apart is by their calls. The Lincoln Sparrow has a much more fluid, wren-like song.
Compared to the Savannah Sparrow.
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) photos by Larry Jordan
Back at my friend Norm’s house for the sixth season in a row! These are the first Green Heron (Butorides virescens) photos of the season for me and I am trying to document this pair’s breeding behavior from the beginning.
There seems to be a wrinkle in the process this year, with a third heron in the mix (pictured above, click on photos for full sized image). We are calling this third bird the “interloper.”
The bonded pair seem to watch the interloper when he or she shows up, until it gets to rambunctious, then they chase it off. We’re not sure exactly what the relationship is between the pair and the interloper but today Norm told me that it was back after being gone for a few days.
Here are the bonded pair with their crests up. Green Herons will raise that glossy, dark green cap when they are alarmed or agitated.
As they calm down, they look more relaxed and stop flicking their tail too.
Here they are reconstructing their nest, although they were more interested in the interloper the day I was there.
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus cafer) Red-shafted photos by Larry Jordan
The Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) is the third largest woodpecker in North America if you count the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. It is smaller than the Pileated Woodpecker. This is a male red-shafted Northern Flicker I spotted at Lema Ranch Friday afternoon. You can see that the male of the species has a bright red mustache not present on the female. Both sexes have salmon red underwings and tail.
You may also notice that this male has no bright red crescent shaped marking on his nape. You will often find them digging in the ground, in short grass areas, primarily for ants.
This red-shafted subspecies (Colaptes auratus cafer) is found in western North America and the yellow-shafted subspecies (Colaptes auratus auratus) is found in eastern North America. Intergrades of these two subspecies occur, according to the Peterson Field Guide to North America, where their ranges overlap, at the western edge of the plains, but we are seeing them in California.
Note the bright red crescent shaped marking on this bird’s nape. The image below is the female that was hanging out with this male. As far as I know, there is no way to tell if a female is an intergrade or not.
The male Northern Flicker of the yellow-shafted subspecies has a black mustache and the red crescent mark on his nape.
Here are a few photos of the intergrade male after he flew up into a nearby oak tree and into the sun to preen. As always, click on photos for full sized images.
Here you can see the white rump patch that is conspicuous in flight of any of the flickers, male or female.
This last photo shows the beautiful salmon red undertail coverts on this intergrade male.
Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) photos by Larry Jordan
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