MA - more yard Fox Sparrows - 11/07

It's often difficult to gauge how many individual birds visit our feeders on any given day but it becomes a little easier if the species in question happens to be a scarce visitor. Last week I was thrilled to see our first Fox Sparrow of the fall at the feeders. It was present the next day but I didn't see another until Nov 3rd leaving me to wonder whether the Nov 3rd bird could have been new. I wasn't expecting too many changes with today's wet, balmy south-westerlies but in the afternoon I looked out the window to see the ground carpeted with sparrows, including three Fox Sparrows together! A little more scanning produced two more birds, so we had at least five Fox Sparrows present simultaneously - not only a great tally for the yard, but on reflection probably my largest single gathering of Fox Sparrows in Massachusetts in recent years. They remained until dusk and, despite a very gloomy afternoon, I attempted to take a few pics.

Fox Sparrows - Gill yard, late afternoon, Franklin Co., MA.

November 7th, 2013. At least five present.

 

Eastern Gray Squirrel - Gill yard, Franklin Co., MA.

November 7th, 2013. Checking out the feeder action.

 

White-throated Sparrows - Gill yard, late afternoon, Franklin Co., MA.

November 7th, 2013. Up to 25 present in the yard at the moment.