Lightning Does Strike Twice! - 27 Dec 2015

I took a quick look out the back window here at Brownton Abbey to see if any activity was occurring, and to see if the Golden-crowned Sparrow might make an appearance. The first flock of House Sparrows seen in several days were actively feeding on sunflower seeds, but one bird looked larger and 'brighter' than the rest. Holy Smokes, a Harris' Sparrow! Incredible! A Harris' Sparrow in the yard here in Brownstown Twp, Wayne Co., MI!

Luckily, I had just popped the Nikon 1 V3 on the 300/2.8 VRII + 1.7TCII teleconverter via the FT1 adapter from Nikon, so I had 1377mm of lens to photograph the bird.

Robin and I were just on the way out the door, so I quickly texted Ann Smith (President, Erie Shores Birding Association, and neighbor) to let her know about the bird. 30 minutes later I got a call from her indicating that she had stopped by, but had not seen the bird. We were now back home, so I invited her to stop by the house and wait for the sparrow to return. When she arrived I showed her the Harris' Sparrow on the computer. Her reply, "Why are you showing me a Harris' Sparrow? I thought you had called me about the Golden-crowned Sparrow!!"

Within about 10 minutes the Harris' Sparrow had returned, and she was able to get nice looks for several minutes before it flushed, again.  It would return once more about 30 minutes later, then again  just before last light (at about 5 pm). Meanwhile, Ann was telling me how she had hosted a Harris' Sparrow in her yard many years ago just after moving in.

The Harris' Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) is a large sparrow of the central plains and the only breeding endemic of Canada. It is rarely seen far east or west of its range, with only a few records from Michigan each year. We hardly ever see them in the lower peninsula, so it showing up in Wayne Co. is a real treat! The map at left is an eBird range map for sightings this year.

The Golden-crowned Sparrow also made a 1-minute appearance just before she had arrived...

The Zonotrichia Slam! All four birds in the yard since moving here to Brownstown in May. And three of them today (White-throated Sparrow).

I inquired with the Homeowner's Association and was told that there shouldn't be a problem to have folks by, as long as they are on my property, so I posted to Mich-Listers and Facebook. I'm suspecting that it will hang around a couple of days, at least, with best chances for being seen early morning.  With construction going on next door and across the street, I'm suspecting that bird activity will be very light at the feeders due to noise and people. We'll see!

Brownton Abbey, 26340 Higgins Way, Wayne, Michigan, US
Dec 27, 2015 8:20 AM - 4:20 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Robin Jourdan (robin.jourdan@gmail.com) and Ann Smith (rrrseng@aol.com) also saw the Harris' Sparrow.
20 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  3     fly over birds from nearby pond
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  3     fly over birds from nearby pond
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  18
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  6     fly overs. Seen daily.
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1     adult bird landed in tree at back of property just before sunset. Could see red tail. Local bird.
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  18     flock on power lines to the east of the house
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  25     flock of birds flying west landed in tops of trees at back of property and roosted for 20 min. before continuing west.
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  4
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  9
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)  1     Photographed at 1:30 pm below thistle feeder. Note yellow on forehead, black supralorals and white spot on back of head. Reported yesterday as part of the Rockwood, MI Christmas Bird Count. Only stayed 1-2 minutes. Infrequent visitor to yard since late October 2015
Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)  1     A gorgeous adult bird appeared at 12:20 pm below the feeders at the back of the yard while I was scanning for the Golden-crowned Sparrow, which was observed/reported yesterday. It was among a small group of House Sparrows, but stood out as being much brighter and larger, with more pronounced 'black'. Photographed it with Nikon V3, 300/2.8 VRII lens+1.7TCII teleconverter+FT1 adapter for focal length ~1377mm. See blog post with photos at: http://jerryjourdan.blogspot.com/2015/12/lightning-does-strike-twice-27-dec-2015.html
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1     adult bird, suspected to be same bird that is associating with the Golden-crowned Sparrow visiting the yard since late October.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S26483001

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)