Several times each year I make it a point to pay homage to some of the “common species.”
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
And around here for much of the year few sparrows are more abundant than White-crowned Sparrows. I photographed this juvenile or immature bird three months ago in Box Elder County. As I often do I was trying to get plenty of shutter speed for takeoff shots so I cranked up my ISO to 1000 but in this low light I didn’t quite get there for this shot.
I like the pose, the detail and the light but most of all I like the setting. One of the things I love most about my lens is the aesthetic quality of the background bokeh it produces and this bird and perch stand out nicely against the smooth, out-of-focus background despite their very similar colors. With the single branch behind the tail at an intermediate distance and sharpness I like the resulting 3D effect.
Many bird photographers mostly or even completely ignore sparrows but I often search for them specifically and about the only sparrow species I usually won’t aim my lens at is the invasive House Sparrow.
Besides, common or not, both the adults and the juveniles of this species are handsome birds and well-deserving of the photographer’s respect and attention.
Ron
Beautiful shot. One of my favorite Sparrows.
Thanks, Jean.
When a shot looks this good on my old iPhone, I know it’s a keeper!! Our liquid amber tree has been a bird magnet as they go after all the seeds. I’ve been watching from the kitchen window and just marveling at the diversity and variation of the so called “common” species. 😃
Thank you, Marty. I’m glad you have lots of birds but there sure aren’t many around here.
Gorgeous photo Ron!! I love it. I love sparrows of all sorts, so it’s even more special. And Thank-you April for the beautiful story.
Thank you, Joanne.
I am always impressed with the subtle beauty of sparrows. The often overlooked subtle beauty.
And love the bokeh in this shot.
Thank you, EC.
House sparrows are amazing birds. I have great respect for them. Since Haley was underage (13) when she started rehab, she worked with and we took home house sparrows to raise and heal at our house. We could have 40 at a time. We learned a lot including to understand their chirps. They have different chirps for different birds, like names. Their personalities are as individual as humans. We had an imprinted female named Lucky, she came that way to us, she changed our lives in profound ways. She lived for 10 years with complete freedom to fly anywhere in our house. She learned to communicate with us and we with her. In three instances she came and found us in the house and led us to sparrows in our care in cages who were in trouble. We watched her grieve when a companion died. When she passed a door to their world closed for us, I don’t think we will ever have a similar experience.
I LOVED reading this April. Thank you (and Haley) so much. I have found taking the time to really get to know anything pays dividends. And broadens our world.
I think all birds are both amazing and wonderful, April and that includes House Sparrows and European Starlings. I just wish they weren’t here. You’ve had some amazing experiences with them – thanks for relating your stories.
I know European Starlings are invasive and problematic, but they are such beautiful animals.
It always bothers me that no one looks twice at them because they are so common.
It does makes my blood boil that they were brought here because someone thought America needed ‘every bird ever mentioned by Shakespeare.’
How much of our current ecological distress is the result of human fancy and whim?
Really nice photo, Ron. I often have to look carefully at these guys; the whiteness of their head stripes seems to vary a lot.
I agree, it does, Lyle. And I thought the breast and belly of this one was whiter than it is in most juveniles.
White-crowns are among my favorite winter backyard birds … they’re so perky! And this is a beautiful image, colors are gorgeous and this charming bird gets the homage he deserves.
Thanks, Chris. Glad you agree with my “homage” thing.
Great shot Ron! Yup, a very appealing species! Since we only see them sometimes in the Fall or Spring, I’m ready to grab my camera whenever they show up. Spring are the adults and Fall are the immatures, both phases either in adult plumage (just beautiful) or immature plumage, still very enticing for an image.
Note: I was wondering whether you folks in the mid-west are having some of the same problems we are having in the East, lack of feeder birds. The theories around here is that the general lack of ice and snow spread the birds out. The other is that there are more avian predators around and that is diminishing the numbers at the feeders. Of course, there are other drastic theories as well. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Dick.
I’m not in the mid-west but I think the general lack of birds is a problem in most places, including here.
Sorry, my error. As an easterner I think of everything east of the Rockies is in, or near the midwest. My bad!
I agree sparrows are often overlooked. My favorite is the Black Throated. Looks like they are dressed up in a tux. For those who care, the long fast prime lenses provide separation of their subjects from the background which can make a huge difference. As you say, you get what you pay for. I hate to admit this, but I have taken the Sony plunge and have a 400mm 2.8 on order. It is crazy how some of us can go over the top on gear. To make the move, I have lots of Canon gear getting ready for sale even though I hate to get rid of it. It has served me well but can’t operate with two systems.
Frank, I’ve never photographed a Black-throated. I hope you like your new Sony.
Very nice shot..great composition and I agree your lens has good bokeh,(even though I’m a nikon guy)…We get many White-crowned Sparrows at my place and I enjoy watching them a lot…glad you’re not above photographing them…once again, a very nice photo…Thank you
Steve, Mia shoots with the Nikon 500 and she gets very nice bokeh too. Both lenses are expensive but when it comes to glass you get what you pay for. Thank you.
Beautiful photo Ron! Even though they may be common in your area, here in Georgia they’re only present in winter and hard to find at that! Hoping to find one of these birds before they leave in spring, they are beautiful birds!
I hope you find more than one, Xavier. And that you get both adults and juvies. Thanks.
VERY nice! 🙂 The pose/background/colors all come together even if the ISO didn’t quite get there…:) We do tend to take birds for granted that we see all the time……. We have so few birds this winter ANY call attention to themselves…;) Grey Crown Rosy Finches have already left for the moment since it warmed up. Wind still howling so flocks of honkers are grounded it the fields. Watched a crow try and take off yesterday on the way to town – basically did a back flip and decided ground was a good place to be!
Your last line made me smile, Judy. I can imagine what you saw with that crow in the wind. Thank you.
Good morning Ron. Yes, here the White-crowned Sparrow is a very common bird, and you do tend to overlook the birds that are so common, but each of these common species deserves respect and each has a purpose. They are very pretty birds and I always enjoy taking photos of them. Very nice photo. Thanks for sharing.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
PS: Tomorrow morning I will be participating with the Forest Service in the annual bald eagle count. My first time.
Thanks, Everett. Have fun with the eagles tomorrow!