With winter approaching, White-crowned Sparrows are migrating south from North America’s boreal forest to central and southern United States and Mexico, sometimes flying hundreds of miles in one night. The weeks-long trek is already a major endeavor for the one-ounce songbirds, and pesticides may be making the journey even more perilous, a new study shows. […]
Tag: White-crowned Sparrow
Random fall birds and thoughts
Fall might be my favorite season. It has a mysterious feel about it that I can’t quite put my finger on. I love the smell of burning firewood on a cool night, fresh-picked apples, seeing the decorative pumpkins, camping out in a tent and especially the colorful foliage. I don’t like the term leaf-peeping though. […]
Neonicotinoids May Harm Migratory Songbirds Too
A first-of-its-kind study shows a link between insecticide exposure and a decline in migratory songbirds. The new study, published in “Scientific Reports,” examines the possible effects of neonicotinoids on birds like sparrows. Neonicotinoids are highly controversial because, while insecticide manufacturers claim they are safe, mounting evidence suggests that neonicotinoids harm many bee species and may […]
Seminole Ranch Conservation Area, 12/23/2016
This morning I drove to the Seminole Ranch Conservation Area. The parking area for it is right across the street from Orlando Wetlands Park. If there’s no hunt planned for the day, you can get there as early as you like and walk to the St. John’s River. The trail takes you to the St. […]
Spring Migration Update
More and more birds are arriving in the north woods now. On Thursday the 12th I had my first hummingbird of the season along with a Least Flycatcher and Black-and-white Warblers in my own yard, and I’ve had a few warblers here and there. A few Yellow-rumps and several Pine Warblers were on territory on […]
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel’s)
This morning I drove out to one of my favorite sparrow spots and found a White-crowned Sparrow. This spot seems to be good at attracting them, but for some reason, we get our fair share of the “Gambel’s” subspecies of this bird. In fact, I think every bird I’ve seen here, whether immature or adult, […]
A Fun Day for Sparrows and Buntings
Yesterday I went to my favorite little sparrow spot in Seminole County. It has been fantastic to us this winter, since we’ve been able to see Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow, and even a Lark Sparrow, not to mention our more commons species: Savannah, Swamp and Chipping Sparrows. However, since […]
La Chua Trail, Paines Prairie, 3/1/2013
I was traveling up to Alabama this morning, and so I left early to see what I could find at Payne’s Prairie. I walked the La Chua Trail; it was somewhat breezy out, so I suspect some sparrows were hiding, but I did get to find a Field Sparrow (my first in Florida), several White-crowned […]