August 5th, 2005. East Meadows, Northampton, MA. Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus. A short mid-morning trip down to the East Meadows produced a nice adult Vesper Sparrow. The bird was quite agitated and circled me at least twice showing off the crisp white outer tail feathers. The behavior suggested a nest or fledged young close by, and I was careful not to spend too much time in the area to avoid further disturbance. According to the Bird Finding Guide to Western Massachusetts (UMASS Extension 2003), Vesper Sparrows are only “very rarely found” in the summer months. Otherwise, it was a little on the quiet side but I did see my first juvenile Indigo Bunting of the fall, as well as numerous males and a female. East Meadows highlights (08:45-10:45hrs); Ring-billed Gull - 1 Belted Kingfisher - 1 Northern Flicker - 5 Bank Swallow - 25 Horned Lark - 2 Yellow Warbler - 8 VESPER SPARROW - 1 adult. Bobolink - 1 Indigo Bunting - 15 + (mostly males, some still singing, but one adult female and one juvenile). Taken using Canon Powershot A-95, and Nikon Coolpix 995 through Swarovski HD telescope.

Note the clearly visible chestnut lesser coverts in this, and some of the following shots.

The white outer tail can be seen well here, along with the chestnut lesser coverts and pale center to the auriculars. All of these are excellent features for Vesper Sparrow.

Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus (left) and Song Sparrow Melospiza georgiana (right).

View other birds from August 5th;

Yellow Warbler

Indigo Bunting

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