Continuing White-throated Sparrow invasion

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Sean S

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Jan 3, 2020, 2:21:18 PM1/3/20
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As the post-storm Juncos have gradually lessened beneath the feeders, the White-throated Sparrows have steadily increased: 1 on the 31st, 2 on New Year's Day, 3 yesterday and this morning 5.  All have been streaked immatures and tan-morph adults, all looking healthy, so far with no other sparrow species mixed in.  Hard to fit 5 of these active birds in one photo, but I was able to get 3 in for some ID-quality pics yesterday:


Scattering crushed peanuts around on the snow really helps to draw them in, and of course they will eat sunflower seeds.  Today's warmer temperatures will be good for scraping up the soggy shells & cleaning the feeder area, as recommended for ground feeding birds.

Good birding,

Sean Smith
Hiram




Sharon F.

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Jan 3, 2020, 3:42:10 PM1/3/20
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I have 5 white throated sparrows overwintering here in West Kennebunk as well as what I believe to be a swamp sparrow(no pics yet for confirmation); first time for both species in 22 years!  Sharon in West K.

From: maine...@googlegroups.com <maine...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Sean S <therefro...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 3, 2020 2:21 PM
To: maine...@googlegroups.com <maine...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Continuing White-throated Sparrow invasion
 
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Terry Sprague

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Jan 3, 2020, 4:47:33 PM1/3/20
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I have white-throats regularly during the winter on North Haven. Numbering 1-5 most days. Today there 5.  Two beautiful easy ID adults and the rest were either immature or tan morph adults.  Terry on North Haven island in Penobscot Bay.

Jeff Wells

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Jan 3, 2020, 6:18:58 PM1/3/20
to Terry Sprague, maine birds
Just back from Matinicus Island where we counted a minimum of 12 White-throats, 15 Song Sparrows, and 43 juncos.

Jeff Wells

On Jan 3, 2020, at 4:47 PM, Terry Sprague <tign...@midcoast.com> wrote:



BARBARA P HERRGESELL

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Jan 5, 2020, 8:26:33 PM1/5/20
to Jeff Wells, maine...@googlegroups.com
My friend in Springvale has them. 
Barbara 
Sanford

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William Otto

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Jan 6, 2020, 9:46:41 AM1/6/20
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The White-throated Sparrows have also invaded downeast Maine. On the Machias CBC Saturday, I had a 31 in my section. We had a flock of 16, 10 and 5. They were not in mixed flocks, and at the edges of wooded areas quite a ways from housing areas. 

The other species that seems to have just recently increased in number was golden-crowned kinglets. I noted multiple groups of 12-20 golden-crowned kinglets. For the last several years I had just seen them in groups of under 5 individuals in this area. This year it seemed like they were everywhere and in a few larger groups. 

William 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/FF528486-0785-4F1B-A8F2-D3DC8A096C91%40aol.com.


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The Hasbroucks

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Jan 7, 2020, 8:38:54 AM1/7/20
to William Otto, Maine birds
We, too, have had white throated sparrows (anywhere from one to five) visiting regularly and seeming to hang out with the juncos.  In our 19 years here, we don’t have record of or remember them coming in the wintertime.

A few Eastern bluebirds are also enjoying the suet and adding color (along with the cardinals and occasional raucous blue jay) to the variety of winter regulars.

the Hasbroucks

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