Wintering Fox Sparrow reappears at Ken Caryl, JeffCo

[David Suddjian]

Speaking of yard birds (and grateful for eBird's record-keeping and how it nurtures my obsessive yard watching), the wintering Red Fox Sparrow made an appearance in my yard today, amid heavy snow, for the first time since Feb 10. I give a record below of its presence in my yard so far. 

Although the Fox Sparrow was regular in the yard during part of its stay, she has never been very cooperative for viewing or confiding, usually appearing in low light and/or during inclement weather. I search for birds all around my home area often, but I have no idea where she has spent most of her time this winter. There are few good feeding stations around except mine. I suppose she relies on some natural brushy niche nearby. It is interesting that over her first 2-3 weeks of appearances she was often calling - the sharp kiss call note - and this was usually how I knew the bird was present, ensconced in a shrub in the dim pre dawn light. Then she fell quiet and I did not hear her at all after a while. She never seemed to respond to recordings of her call that I played back sometimes.

Today Foxy visited an improvised pizza-tray feeder I put out since I couldn't easily clear out my feeding station area. Tough lighting and snowing heavily, but I managed some documentary images. A short video is on the checklist  https://ebird.org/checklist/S164787493

David Suddjian

Ken Caryl Valley, Littleton, CO

BIRD BOMBS video library

Record of occurrence through March 14, 2024

Dec 3: first noted

Dec 9 to Jan 18: most regular, noted 24 of 41 days

Jan 26 snow storm

Feb 3 snow storm

Feb 10 snow storm

Mar 14 snow storm