Harris’s Sparrow at Warnimont Park

Jeremy2 Comments

A friend found a Harris’s Sparrow at Warnimont Park today. It was first seen along the asphalt trail, about halfway down the 1st fairway, eating seeds from Dandelions. I was just leaving the Warnimont Kelly Senior Center, so it was perfect timing. I arrived and walked that way, there wasn’t a sparrow in sight! I checked the grassy area, walked south into the first part of shrubs and onto the 1st fairway, then all the way back to the Dandelion field, nothing. I couldn’t believe it, I must’ve walked around for 30 minutes without seeing any sparrows, except 3 Chipping Sparrows. I decided to check the evergreens by the parking lot, since they like to have cover to come in and out of. I walked up the hill and there it was feeding off the cart path, right near the evergreens. I got some good views and then it flew into the closet pine and then down underneath it to the edge of the branches. It was not coming back out, so I walked around to the other side of it. Of course, by that time, it had come back out and was feeding in almost the same spot. I should have just stayed put, oh well. I snuck into the pines and was kneeling down, looking at it through the branches. It fed in front of me for a good 5 minutes, before getting close to the clubhouse. There were also a Lincoln’s Sparrow and a few White-crowned Sparrows, which I was watching as well. When I looked back for the Harris’s, I didn’t see it. I never saw it fly either, so I’m not sure where it went off too. I heard later in the afternoon, it was relocated about halfway in between the original location and where I had it. It’s not too often we get to see these in breeding plumage. The black on their face and head is really bold and striking! Always a treat to see one. Photos below are from this morning, 5/7. Enjoy!

Harris’s Sparrow at Warnimont Park 10/4/21

JeremyAdd comment

I stopped by the Kelly Senior Center, on the south end of Warnimont Park this afternoon. I was hoping to find something cool and I did, my third Harris’s Sparrow in less than a week! Funny that I find another too, because I almost went back to Whitnall today instead. I didn’t get very good photos of the two at Wehr Nature Center, so I contemplated going there again. Like the Wehr birds, it was with several White-crowned and a couple White-throated Sparrows. They would come out of the trees and feed in the grass, for extended times. When the wind would kick up and blow the leaves around, they would all fly back into the trees and then come back out. They moved around quite frequently, along the tree lines. The majority of the time, they were all in the grass area with the bird feeders. I also had 11 warbler species, however most were very uncooperative and didn’t want their picture taken today. I’m guessing the bird will stick around a few days this week, considering its in good habitat, with good food sources. Good luck if you try! Enjoy!