Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Backyard Birding => Topic started by: Howieh on April 22, 2011, 11:12:27 AM

Title: Waiting for migrant sparrows
Post by: Howieh on April 22, 2011, 11:12:27 AM

Along with the usual visitors - a pair of cardinals, a family of chickadees, redbreasted nuthatches, robins and house sparrows I also have lots of juncos and a pair of fox(?) sparrows in my backyard. I'm still waiting for the white crowned and white throated sparrows which showed up last year in early May. I know a few stayed for the winter but has anyone seen any migrants yet? (that is if you can tell them apart!).

Title:
Post by: Reuven_M on April 22, 2011, 11:26:11 AM

I've been seeing a few white-throated sparrows, but not the huge numbers that will be here soon yet.

Title:
Post by: RKD on April 22, 2011, 01:25:46 PM

a couple white throated here for about a week now and today a fox sparrow

Title:
Post by: frozenice7885 on April 22, 2011, 07:38:41 PM

ive got white throated sparrows around my house in east york...not a lot maybe 4 in totall should be more coming soon

Title:
Post by: Luv2Bird on April 22, 2011, 10:07:54 PM

Saw a White-throated in our back yard last week.  Now have a chipping sparrow and song sparrow along with the usuals.

Title:
Post by: Howieh on April 23, 2011, 01:22:43 PM

A single white throated sparrow finally showed up this morning, two fox sparrows and several juncos are still around.

Title:
Post by: Dr. John on April 24, 2011, 08:49:40 AM

We've had a white-throated and several chipping but that's all so far.

-John

Title:
Post by: Brian Bailey on April 26, 2011, 07:45:59 PM

A trickle of White-throated Sparrows in my backyard turned into a flood today.  Joining them were 2 Fox Sparrows.

BB

Title:
Post by: Howieh on April 26, 2011, 08:03:30 PM

Where are you located? All I have now is a pair of chipping sparrows and juncos. The white throated sparrow was here for one day only but it's still early. Last year none of the migrant sparrows showed up here (Bayview & Steeles) until early May!

The fox sparrows haven't shown up for a few days so I assume they're gone?

Title:
Post by: Brian Bailey on April 26, 2011, 09:00:57 PM

I'm in south Etobicoke.  My sparrow magnet is grass seed.  I have a patch of shaded grass that dies off every summer, so I seed it in early spring.  I used to use good quality seed, but now that I know it will always die anyway, I use cheap seed and just enjoy the birds that come and eat it!  I also have a lot of leaf litter in my back gardens, which is always popular with the sparrows & thrushes.

BB

Title:
Post by: Howieh on April 26, 2011, 09:50:21 PM

Quote from: "Brian Bailey"

I'm in south Etobicoke.  My sparrow magnet is grass seed.  I have a patch of shaded grass that dies off every summer, so I seed it in early spring.  I used to use good quality seed, but now that I know it will always die anyway, I use cheap seed and just enjoy the birds that come and eat it!  I also have a lot of leaf litter in my back gardens, which is always popular with the sparrows & thrushes.

BB

Good point about the leaf litter, I'll hold off raking the old leaves until late May! Until this year I never spread feed on the ground but I got some 'squirrel proof' seeds that the juncos and the sparrows really enjoy picking at, as well as a couple of ignorant squirrels that don't know it's supposed to be bad for them. I didn't think the juncos stayed this long but they are fun to watch. They show up at first light and almost look like fireflies with their flashing white tail feathers. They also chase away the sparrows if they get too close on the ground.