Fall will bring White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows back to Arkansas for their non-breeding season. I’m super excited about their impending arrival.
White-throated Sparrow with an eye on me – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/320, ISO 1250, +1.o EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Both the White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows belong to the genus Zonotrichia. The only other Zonotrichia sparrow I am likely to see here in Arkansas and Oklahoma is Harris’s Sparrow.
I’ve photographed a single Harris’s Sparrow that I found and pointed out in Utah. My photos were merely documentary images because there were lots of grasses and branches in front of the sparrow. I’d love to add a Harris’s Sparrow gallery to my site, or whatever the name for that species will be in the future.
There is also the possibility of a Golden-crowned Sparrow showing up, but that would be very rare. On eBird, there are no documented sightings of the Golden-crowned Sparrow in Arkansas.
Spring adult White-throated Sparrow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/400, ISO 1250, +1.o EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
But, I digress. Back to the White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows I am waiting on to show up. The weather here has gotten cooler, yesterday morning it was 45°F for a low which is quite a bit cooler than it has been.
I took all four of these photos back in the spring, before these sparrows migrated to their breeding grounds. I was especially happy with the White-throated Sparrow photos I took in the spring because I only found this species once while I lived in Utah. Seeing them again this fall will be a treat.
Perched White-crowned Sparrow in spring – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I did see White-crowned Sparrows in Utah and photographed them frequently, but they weren’t the subspecies I have found here in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
In Utah and the West, I photographed the pale-lored Gambel’s (Z. l. gambelii) and dark-lored Interior West (Z. l. oriantha) subspecies.
The White-crowned Sparrows I have found here are from the dark-lored subspecies Eastern Taiga (Z. l. leucophrys).
Spring White-crowned Sparrow adult in Arkansas – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/800, ISO 2000, +0.7 V, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Can you tell I am excited and anxious for these two sparrow species to return so I can photograph them again?
That doesn’t even factor in the sparrow species that will be lifers for me or the ones I have seen but haven’t been able to get decent images of.
For instance, Fox Sparrows. I saw them in Utah, but every time I had one in my viewfinder, something beyond my control ruined the opportunity I had with them.
Anyhow, the start of overwintering sparrow season here is about to begin. Bring it on! I’m ready.
Life is good.
Mia
Update: After I wrote this post yesterday a White-throated Sparrow was seen and photographed here by Steve Creek.
Click here to see my White-throated Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to view more of my White-crowned Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.
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