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Le Conte's Sparrow

Ammodramus leconteii

This is the world that opens up to an individual when they take up birding.  Before starting birding in 2000, I had no idea that a creature such as this existed. I had no idea that "sparrow" was an incredibly diverse set of birds, with some truly spectacular, beautiful species.  Le Conte's Sparrows have been a favorite of mine ever since I started birding. They have a reputation as a "skulker", a bird that's difficult to see (or photograph), as they prefer to hide in vegetation. That is true to some extent, but I've also found that with patience, they're not all the difficult to get photographs of.  There are several locations around the area where I know I can likely find Le Conte's Sparrows during the fall migration.  It's typically just a matter of setting up shop, and waiting!  Using my little portable chair blind, or using my car as a blind, even the "shy" birds like Le Conte's Sparrows quickly forget there's a human being inside.  It's just a matter of waiting for the right moment when a bird pops out of  the vegetation and into full view, although getting a completely "clean" view of a Le Conte's Sparrow like this is ALWAYS a treat. The plumage patterns and colors on these guys are just spectacular.

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