For several weeks I repeatedly saw and heard a Vesper Sparrow in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains and early in July I was able to take some decent images of it as it sang on a metal post.
Vesper Sparrow singing in the Wasatch Mountains – Nikon D500, f8, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I’d just finished photographing a male American Goldfinch feeding on Musk Thistles and had started to drive slowly up the canyon in my Jeep when I heard the song of the Vesper Sparrow where I had seen one of the sparrows on several previous trips into the canyon so I slowed down even more and started to look for it then I spotted the sparrow close to the edge of the road on an old metal post singing its little heart out. I hoped it wouldn’t fly off before I was able to stop, focus on it and take images of it.
Vesper Sparrow singing on a metal post – Nikon D500, f8, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The sparrow cooperated and I was able to take a nice series of images of it before a jogger went by and flushed the bird. It didn’t fly too far away so I sat there in my Jeep hoping it would come closer again, after a few minutes it appeared that the sparrow wasn’t going to come closer so I watched it sing on top of the bush it had flown too. I tried to take a video of the Vesper Sparrow singing but I didn’t have the camera locked onto a tripod so the video made me a bit dizzy. Okay, it made me more than a bit dizzy. I wish I had brought my tripod along that day but I’d left it at home.
The past few times I have been up into that canyon the Vesper Sparrow has been absent or I just couldn’t see it. Perhaps it found a mate and they are raising little sparrows now, I’d like to think that they are.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Vesper Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.
Very nice singing pose and clean background.
Another wonderful photo…love both bird and ptetty colors in that old metal post…nice combination!!!
Beautiful bird. I can almost hear it singing.
They’re such lovely little birds. The thought of him and a little sparrow family made me smile. 🙂
I am so grateful that you are not prejudiced against the lbjs. Thank you.
I think I would have a hart time identifying one in the wild if I saw it!
Hi sweetie! Wonderful you were able to get such get photo’s of this Vesper sparrow! Happy shooting! love ya’s
Cool photos, Mia.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Vesper Sparrow. Cute little bird.