I know, I know, Chipping Sparrows aren't all that interesting. I say that and I've handled 225 of them this week, but THIS ONE second-year bird is interesting. When I saw it hanging in the net, belly-side-up, I was trying to figure out what kind of warbler it was from a distance. Then I turned it over. Nope - just a CHSP.
It looks superficially like it has been stained, but when blowing on the breast to separate the feathers, the new ones coming in are bright orange (!!!) on the otherwise naked skin. I tried to picture of that, but one can't hold a bird with two hands, blow, and take pictures at the same time.
Any thoughts???
At dawn there was a good Northern breeze, but despite that there was a good arrival of new birds and continuing new ones all morning. Then after being calm for a while, the winds shifted from the South and increased. Maybe good again tomorrow!
Highlights were an FOY Virginia's Warbler male, 2 FOY Savannah Sparrows, Second-years, 2 more N Waterthrush (ad, imm), and a big arrival of Orange-crowned Warblers, Com Yellowthroats, and Lincoln's Sparrows. 113 new birds today.
Enjoy,
Steve Brown
Colo Spgs
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