American Tree SparrowAmerican Tree Sparrow – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

Last month I was able to take images of American Tree Sparrows on two different days in very different conditions in about the same location on Antelope Island State Park. The first day the conditions were deplorable because I had low light, blowing snow and foggy conditions but the second time I had them in my viewfinder I had very nice light, in fact the American Tree Sparrows and dried vegetation seemed to glow against the white of the snow and I was able to get a series of images that I found appealing.

American Tree Sparrows winter in Utah but they breed in scrubby thickets in willows and birch in Alaska and northern Canada. Sometimes they are mistaken for the smaller Chipping Sparrow but their slightly larger size, bicolored bill, rusty eye-line and dark central spot on the breast helps to differentiate between the two species.

Mia