Chipping Sparrow

To wrap up my Shingle Creek experience, I wanted to share a special bird for the day. In the previous post I mentioned that I had heard a tiny sound at the entrance of the East Pine Island Loop. The bird was in the pine trees and I could see the outline of it. I had a suspicion as to its identity but was not completely sure. I wanted a photo to confirm.

The bird quickly vanished back into the surrounding brush and I couldn't relocate it. I continued my walk around the pine island and got all my shots of the flowers in the last post. When I got to the entrance again I heard the sound again. The bird was still here and this time it landed a bit more in the open on a pine branch.

I moved slowly toward the tree and finally positioned myself in a spot almost clear of the pine needles. I was right. It as my first Chipping Sparrow of the season!



I spent a few minutes with this little sparrow before it moved back into the brush. I actually was doubting my identification when I looked at the bird on the computer at home. Chipping Sparrows are suppose to have clean breasts. This one has a bib line that is pretty prominent. Weird.



I am used to seeing a few Chippies, as we birders sometimes call them, in Orlando. I occasionally get them in the yard at the feeders but never in large numbers. I did find a lot of them in 2010 in the Palm Cemetery. So I enjoy any chance to see them and I especially like this pose.



Now to wait for them to come back to my yard this Winter. I great way to wrap up my hike sightings out in a place I am sure to revisit. For more information about Shingle Creek, head to the official site and if you are in the area, do make it a point to spend some time out there.