If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Another streaky sparrow that can be easy to misidentify (at least for me), except for its rich, warbly song. I always seem to come across these sparrows in riparian areas. 
5/4/02 San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, Orange County, CA 
4/13/02 Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, Orange County, CA
8/18/04 South Marsh Loop, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Monterey County, CA
8/6/17 Near campsite A3-Angler, Lake Casitas Recreation Area, Ventura County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Song Sparrow

SPECIES: Melospiza melodia

LIFE LIST DATE: 4/13/2002

COUNT: 1

LOCATION: Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, Orange County, CA

From Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Western Region:

IDENTIFYING MARKS & BEHAVIOR: 6"; whitish breast with brown streaks and a dark central dot; reddish-brown crown with a gray central stripe; gray eyebrows; white throat bordered by heavy brown marks off the base of the bill; long, rounded tail. Varies geographically.

VOICE: Song is a few repeated notes followed by a rich and varied warble. Calls include tsip and tchump.
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