Clay-colored Sparrow February 21st, 2010
Study Comparing Photos Of A Clay-colored Sparrow At The Koch Property February 21st, March 7th and April 14th, 2010
Arlene and David Koch have created an incredible oasis for birds on their property in the middle of farm country in Easton, PA. They have planted all sorts of seeds, e.g. sunflower, millet, etc. in their fields and their beautiful summer garden brings in lots and lots of hummingbirds. The Koch family has recorded 239 species on their property list so far and the current visitor to their feeders is a Clay-colored Sparrow.My first trip to see this bird was on February 21st. I was also able to get back to the Koch Property (1375 Raubsville Road, Easton, PA) again on March 7th. Yesterday, April 14th, the Clay-colored Sparrow was still coming into their feeders. This time it was looking a little scraggly compared to my previous two visits which might be showing that the bird is undergoing molt changes. In any event, I still don't know how long it will hang out before it decides to go back west.
Clay-colored
Sparrow February 21st, 2010
Clay-colored
Sparrow March 7th, 2010
Clay-colored
Sparrow April 14th, 2010
For what it is worth, there were nine different kinds of Sparrows at the Koch Property yesterday, e.g. Clay-colored, Chipping, Field, Dark-eyed Junco, House, White-throated, White-crowned, Song and a very. very late American Tree.
The Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) is a small (5.5 inches long with a 7.5 inch wing-span) sparrow of North America. Adults have light brown upperparts and pale underparts, with darker streaks on the back. They have a pale crown stripe on a dark brown crown, a white line over the eyes, a dark line through the eyes, a light brown cheek patch and brown wings with wing bars. The short bill is pale with a dark tip and the back of the neck is gray; they have a long tail. Non-breeding adults and immature resemble Chipping Sparrows and Brewer's Sparrows and they often form flocks with these birds outside of the nesting season.Their breeding habitat is shrubby open areas and Jack Pine woods across central Canada and central northern United States eastward to the Great Lakes. During the past twenty years the Clay-colored Sparrow has been expanding its range even further eastward. The nest is an open cup on the ground or low in a shrub.These birds migrate in flocks to southern Texas and Mexico. They forage on the ground, mainly eating seeds and insects. (from Cornell BNA and Wikpedia)To see a larger image of any of the birds below, please click on either the thumbnails or the captions...thanks!
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Howard B. Eskin 2010 
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