Photo Study Of An Ipswich Savannah Sparrow And Other Birds At E.B.Forsythe NWR (Brigantine), March 28th, 2011

    We were able to get to Brig yesterday and on our second loop, found a beautiful Ipswich Savannah Sparrow in the weeds at the end of the eastbound dike.  We had
    photographed a typical adult Savannah earlier, so we really did have a very good comparison.

             Adult Ipswich Savannah Sparrow                                                                               Typical Adult Savannah Sparrow

    The Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is a small American sparrow. It is the only widely accepted member of the genus Passerculus.  Recent comparison of
    mtDNA and DNAmtDNA_NADH  indicates that the Ipswich Sparrow, formerly considered a separate species as Passerculus princeps, is  a well-marked subspecies
    of the Savannah Sparrow. From meadows to marshland, and from the temperate coastlines to tundra, the Savannah Sparrow is found in various open habitats throughout
    much of North America.The "Ipswich Savannah Sparrow,"   breeds on Sable Island, Nova Scotia. It is nearly 50 percent heavier than most other Savannah
    Sparrow subspecies. It is also the palest race, found in winter in sand dunes along the Atlantic Coast.  These birds forage on the ground or in low bushes; particularly in
    winter they are also found in grazed low-growth grassland. They mainly eat seeds, but insects are also eaten in the breeding season. They are typically encountered as pairs
    or family groups in the breeding season, and assemble in flocks for the winter migration. (Cornell BNA; Wikipedia; Sibley Guide To Birds)

Double-crested Cormorant In Breeding Plumage

 Double-crested Cormorant In Breeding Plumage

Common Merganser Hen

 Hooded Mergaser Pair Takes Off

Lesser Yellowlegs Stretches

Red-breasted Merganser Pair

 
Northern Shoveler Drake                                                                                                       Northern Shoveler Hen

    Species seen:

    To see a larger image of any of the photos below, please click on either the thumbnails or the captions...thanks!

  Howard B. Eskin 2011     Please email your comments to hbeskin@voicenet.com       Please click here to go back to Bird Webpage Index