Saturday, February 15, 2014

Valentine's Day Ipswich (14Feb2014)

Went to the North end of Wrightsville today but too many dog walkers out.  Gulls were all on far side of inlet and I did not have the patience today to sift through them from long distance.  However, on the way back to the car I spotted a solitary sparrow in the dunes.  It looked different enough to warrant a better look.  Turns out it was an Savannah Sparrow of the Ipswich subspecies.  This subspecies was first identified in Ipswich Massachusetts hence the name.  I once ran a 50 mile trail race in Ipswich, but this bird is over 700 miles away so he/she clearly has more stamina than I.


Ipswich Savannah Sparrow - unlike most Savannah Sparrows I see, the Ipswich birds are mostly solitary and on the beach.  Note yellowish supraloral which is indicative of Savannah Sparrows. This one is lighter in color and chocolate brown streaks instead of the darker coloration and almost black streaks of the regular Savannah Sparrow.




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