Harris's Sparrow visiting a feeder near Apple Creek
By Bruce Glick
January 5, 2011
354
Gone Birding January 10, 2010 Bargain Hunter
Columnist Bruce Glick attempts each week to summarize happenings in the birding world. Emphasis is on the local Wayne/Holmes area. This week Bruce reports on the Harris's Sparrow that has been visiting a feeder east of Apple Creek. Find out more in the "Gone Birding" column.
Harris's Sparrow near Apple Creek
Checking the feeders is a natural thing to do when a birder comes home from work. Recently a young birder was doing just that on his lunch break when he saw a bird that he had never before observed, at least at home. It was clearly a Harris's Sparrow and it was feeding on the ground with a small flock of White-crowned Sparrows.
There have been a few other Harris's Sparrows sighted over the years in our area so most birders know to be on the lookout for them. The nice thing is that often these birds have stayed around for a few weeks to several months.
Whenever a rare bird shows up at a feeder, the best thing to do is pass the word so that others can have a chance to see it. In this case, that's exactly what happened and over the next week or so at least 80 birders came to see the rarity. The family has warmly welcomed visitors, which makes the experience even more enjoyable. Fortunately, birds that come to feeders are more predictable and easier to observe. This one was no exception - it would stay back in a brush-pile for awhile and then come down on the ground to feed, later returning to the safety of the brush-pile.
While I was there the first time, a Sharp-shinned Hawk showed up, perching quietly in the tree above the feeding area. Of course, all the birds left immediately. One Downy Woodpecker chose to hide on the backside of a small tree trunk, which just happened to be visible to us looking out from the house. The Downy did not move a feather until the Sharpie was encouraged to move on by one of the birders.
This Harris's Sparrow is a first-year bird, since it does not have a black throat which would be the case for an adult. It does have black outlining the throat and is pale on the side of the head. The breast and belly is white with some dark streaks on the side. The pink/orange bill really shows up well, even at a distance. This is our largest sparrow, at 7.5 inches.
Harris's Sparrows are common winter birds in the central part of the country but are unusual to rare east of Kansas and Oklahoma. They nest in the far northern parts of central Canada. Since they show up from time to time across the east and also in the western United States, these sparrows obviously have a tendency to wander from the main migration routes.
When the temperatures climbed into the 50's at the end of December and the first day of the new year, the Harris's Sparrow did not show up at the feeders but when the weather turned more seasonable, it returned. For current information on this bird you can call the Bobolink Rare Bird Alert at 330-763-5119.
Good birding!
Bruce Glick
birderbruce@yahoo.com
330-317-7798
