Le Conte's Sparrow

Have I mentioned I dig sparrows?  And what could be cooler than these little guys.  So, so beautiful, but yet so shy.  Trying to get a view of one is tough, as they tend to dive back into cover the moment you happen to flush one.  So, I was thrilled to be able to get some good photos of them, in habitat, showing the whole bird.  Well, at least most of the bird!  These two photos show you that these little guys really like to bury themselves down in the vegetation.

Top photo taken on September 30th, 2006, bottom photo on October 10th, 2005, both at Atkin's Slough near Tea, South Dakota.