Field Sparrow! - 07 Feb 2023
Rain was forecasted for today but the skies were high this morning and surprisingly bright. So, Robin and I decided to make a run down to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge for a quick walk. I wanted to pull out the 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens and give it a workout. With a new Big Pockets vest, the a9 on one holster and an a1 + 400mm f/4-5.6 GM OSS lens on the other holster I headed down to refuge for a walk along the short trail.
First off, I had too many cameras attached to me. I caught my binocular strap on the one holster and tore it and the a9 + 40/2.5 lens off the Cotton Carrier. But, otherwise I was fully prepared for the ice-covered trails.
The entrance to the short trail was solid ice and treacherous walking. But, once I made it down past the channel and onto the loop I could at least walk along the edge of the trail where there was exposed gravel. A Carolina Wren greeted us as we left the parking lot and I was determined to find it.
A Red-bellied Woodpecker announced itself just before appearing overhead. I grabbed a few frames while it hopped along the tree trunk above me. Nearby a Downy Woodpecker was also chattering away along with a Tufted Titmouse.
Taking the loop counter-clockwise I walked the trail next to the Monguagon Delta, which was mostly frozen but appearing extremely shallow with exposed mud. The trail was quiet until I reached the boardwalk at the south end.
A small sparrow flew past me and landed in the brush next to the boardwalk. Pink bill and bright eye-ring. A Field Sparrow! I managed to grab a few dozen images as it perched deep in the brush. At ISO 3200 I was only shooting 1/200 sec so I was glad for the 30 fps and spot focusing.
It disappeared a couple of times but reappeared after some pishing calls. When it finally moved on I was able to spot an American Tree Sparrow and get some pics for comparison (note the bicolored bill).
A Swamp Sparrow also showed for several moments but I couldn't focus on it through the brush fast enough.
Returning to the trail I heard the Carolina Wren singing nearby so I headed in its direction. A flock of Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows and Black-capped Chickadees made it difficult to spot in the undergrowth of the forest, but it finally appeared about 20 yds. away.
Luckily, a Brown Creeper also showed up just a few feet away, so I turned the camera on it. Again, slow shutter speeds caused most images to be blurry, but I finally got a few sharp images.
By the time it flew off the Carolina Wren was a bit closer. I put the a1 on crop mode for an EFL ~1260 mm and was able to get some nice images as it fluffed and posed on a low-lying branch in the forest opening.
1500 images later I headed back to the ice-covered trailhead and worked my way to the car. The 200-600 lens worked well and probably gave me a few more images than I would have gotten had I taken the 600/4 lens. I know the Brown Creeper would've gotten away as I was too close to photograph it with the 600/4.
Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Feb 7, 2023 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Breezy, cool, 35F
18 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 4
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 6
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 1
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 1 Short loop trail. Southern tip in cattails next to boardwalk. Small sparrow with pale brown/rusty head strips, plain breast, bright pink bill (not bicolored) and distinct white eye-rings. Photos.
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
