Crozet, VA 1/30-31/2020

Old Trail

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Three days ago I saw a very pale Chipping Sparrow mixed in with a large flock of Chipping Sparrows, and wondered if it might be a hybrid Chipping x Clay-colored. I posted the photos on the American Birding Association's "What's This Bird?" Facebook page, and got several reports that a hybrid might be possible, and a request to try to get more photos including some of its rump. I also checked the on-line Macauly Library, and only found a few photos of this hybrid combination, but in breeding plumage, and noted the eye-line on that hybrid extending to the bill like that of a non-hybrid Chipping Sparrow. So I was motivated to try to re-locate this sparrow

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Pale Chipping Sparrow (January 28)

January 30

It was cold and overcast, with occasional snow flurries. I only spotted one Chipping Sparrow, but it was not the one I was seeking, and ended up with 22 avian species.

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Chipping Sparrow

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Red-shouldered Hawk

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Northern Cardinal

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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

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White-throated Sparrow

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Red-bellied Woodpecker

January 31

I decided to try again this morning under cold overcast skies, but at least there weren't any snow flurries. I didn't see any Chipping Sparrows, but added a few more species to my two day list, including a few interesting photos of today's birds.

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Field Sparrow

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Northern Flicker

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Hermit Thrush

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House Sparrow

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House Finches

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Song Sparrow

The Common Merganser continues in the golf course pond, and this morning had caught a fish that appeared to be a bit more than it could handle.

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Common Merganser

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Common Merganser

I also saw an Eastern Bluebird coming multiple times to a bird feeder. I haven't seen a Bluebird eating seed at a feeder since October 2007 during drought conditions.

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Eastern Bluebird

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Eastern Bluebird

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Eastern Bluebird

And I saw a couple of young deer.

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Deer


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