Lark Sparrow on Antelope Island

Lark Sparrow on Antelope Island



Lark Sparrow on Antelope Island
Lark Sparrow perched on Sagebrush – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

I had some luck with a cooperative Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) this past Sunday where the handsome bird stuck around for quite a bit on several different perches.

Lark Sparrows are showing up in nice numbers this year on Antelope Island State Park and I am tickled that they are because they are great subjects. The bold facial pattern is very appealing to me.

I recently purchased iBird Pro app for Android which has a “Fact” tab and because of the app I learned an interesting fact about Lark Sparrow nesting habits. First, they often take over old Mocking Bird or Thrasher nests instead of building their own.

Secondly, the fascinating part for me is that the eggs and young of both species have been found in the same nest which suggests they can or do share nests with other birds.

This Lark Sparrow spent a lot of time singing from this dried wild Sunflower perch, I have two separate series of images from this exact location that were taken minutes apart. Periods of song can last up to an hour in Lark Sparrows.

Some years I see more of a certain species than I have previous years which gives me plenty of opportunities with them, I hope Lark Sparrows are one of those species for me this year!

lark sparrow mia mcpherson 5463
Back view of a Lark Sparrow – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in
lark sparrow mia mcpherson 5511
Lark Sparrow singing on a dried wild Sunflower stalk – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

Mia McPherson, OntheWingPhotography.com

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Mia McPherson

Mia McPherson is a nature lover, wildlife watcher and an avian photographer. Mia first become serious about bird photography when she moved to Florida in 2004. Her recent move to the Salt Lake area of Utah was a great opportunity to continue observing their behavior and photographing them. With so many birds species there easily accessible it wasn’t long before she was hooked. By learning more about each species, she can anticipate their behaviour and create opportunities to obtain ever better images of those species.

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Mia McPherson

Mia McPherson is a nature lover, wildlife watcher and an avian photographer. Mia first become serious about bird photography when she moved to Florida in 2004. Her recent move to the Salt Lake area of Utah was a great opportunity to continue observing their behavior and photographing them. With so many birds species there easily accessible it wasn’t long before she was hooked. By learning more about each species, she can anticipate their behaviour and create opportunities to obtain ever better images of those species.

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