Bird of the Week – Fox Sparrow
We’re not quite done with sparrows just yet. The Fox Sparrow is probably Alaska’s most variable sparrow, ranging from Sooty or Pacific subspecies shown here to the Red or Taiga species seen in Interior Alaska. There are at least four subspecies in Alaska; perhaps as many as 18 in North America.
Fox Sparrow, Valdez, Alaska
It’s also one of the Alaska largest sparrows, and kicks up leaves jumping and hopping as it forages. Unlike some other songbirds, it is perfectly, well, reasonably, confortable in the rain. Which in places like Valdez is a good thing. The Fox Sparrow also has one of the most diverse songs of any Alaska species. The late Leonard Peyton recorded dozens of different Fox Sparrow songs across Alaska; even populations near each other sometimes had quite different songs.
Camera geek stuff: f8, 1/40, ISO400 (if was pretty gloomy).
For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.
For several years, my parents had a winter visitor who lived in their house in Cordova. A fox sparrow who would enter in thru the air intake, fly upstairs to the living area and make himself at home, ate crumbs off the toaster, nested in a plant. They had to close the bathroom doors because they got tired of cleaning up Foxie’s messes in the bathroom. Well, that’s what people did there, so I guess he thought it was okay. Of course, that meant things got covered in the kitchen also.
Wc. Thank you for your response.. It sure looks like the problem is a lot bigger than Contangos’ “proposed” open pit mine 5 miles SW of Tok.
I find it hard to believe Contango Ore is having money issues that will prevent them from mining in the Tetlin Hills,. when looking at the 20-30 tents, set up by Avalon out of Fairbanks, behind the formerly Mainstreet Motel – using the new name ,Alaska Range Motel in Tok. Contango Ore has it made dealing with the Teltin Native Village. Money talks.
wc.. Please excuse My mistake in the above post. I should have written, “open pit mine 5 miles SE of Tok.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/12/revealed-fbi-spied-keystone-xl-opponents?CMP=share_btn_tw
FBI is working hand in glove with Trans Canada to deprive US citizens of their land for an unnecessary pipeline. WHY???
Hope all you women had the best Mother’s Day ever,now it is time to get back to kicking some wingnut asses.,seriously.
WC .. I sure learn a lot about birds because of your posts and pictures. It’s fun to “google” the specific birds
and to be able to listen to their “songs”.
There is a concern I have about the migratory waterfowl that “visits” Tetlin Lake. My concern is with the
Tetlin Gold project and where the “waste” will be draining. Looking at a map it would either be Tetlin Lake or Tok River. ( I am trying to learning how to supply a link) Also, I am still looking for an environmental
impact study concerning this ” project”.
I own this weekend. It is all mine.(unfortunately)
The people’s Fox Sparrows sing 4 part harmony and engage in complicated symphonic movements because they are of a liberal bent. The korporate Fake Noise Sparrows bore all with their phony talking points that repeat the same non-sense over and over.
Korporate Fox Sparrows are easy to tell from the good guys. They are loud,obnoxious,overbearing and always wrong,but never in doubt.:)
Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms and soon to be Moms and the dearly departed Moms.
mfi.. This is a very sweet thing to say, thank you.
The ones that show up in SE IN are the red variety. They don’t stay long, just enough for us to enjoy their shy ways and beautiful coloring.