Immature Indigo

[Ally]

I don't know exactly where I was, I know it's up north. A few of them were flipping around, but it's almost impossible to singlet them out. They blended in perfectly with the soy beans.

[Dinusaur]

Gorgeous bird and photo. Early morning?

[Ally]

Gorgeous bird and photo. Early morning?

Thank you. Not quite early, about 10am. I got up early, but my friend was late... :x  :x

[Shortsighted]

You are the Bunting queen!
You are the mushroom monarch!
It's too bad that yo never know where you are.

[thouc]

Excellent photos.
I believe these are sparrows, not Indigo Buntings. If you compare these pictures to your bunting pictures, the buntings have a very plain face/head and dark wings with fairly faint wingbars.

This one has orange-y brown face with grey sides and back of neck with a dark crown. It lacks wingbars and has overall warmer colors than immature Indigo Bunting.
My best guess is an immature Swamp Sparrow, but it lacks the mustachial stripes, so I'm not completely sure.

/Thomas

[Ally]

Excellent photos.
I believe these are sparrows, not Indigo Buntings. If you compare these pictures to your bunting pictures, the buntings have a very plain face/head and dark wings with fairly faint wingbars.

This one has orange-y brown face with grey sides and back of neck with a dark crown. It lacks wingbars and has overall warmer colors than immature Indigo Bunting.
My best guess is an immature Swamp Sparrow, but it lacks the mustachial stripes, so I'm not completely sure.

/Thomas

I thought youngsters have different phases  :lol:  :lol: , the size, beak fit. And I can see a bit of blue on the head and a bit on the wing. I have a few other pics of the same bird, will upload soon.

[Shortsighted]

Notice the size of the upper mandible compared to the lower on your bird
and see how it does not match the relationship observed on the juvenile
Swamp sparrow.

[Ally]

I still go with bunting

[Shortsighted]

Good call. Notice that the bill of your bird is closer to a grosbeak/finch group than it is
to the much sleeker sparrow bill. You were showing considerable perspicacity in noticing
the meager tinge of purple colour on your initial photos. It makes perfect sense that an
artist would pick-up on that subtle detail. You can critique my feathers any time.

[thouc]

I can see a bit of blue in the new pictures, so you a right with Indigo Bunting. I haven't seen any looking like that before, neither in real life or books/pictures.

/Thoma

[Ally]

Notice the size of the upper mandible compared to the lower on your bird
and see how it does not match the relationship observed on the juvenile
Swamp sparrow.

How did I do?

[Shortsighted]

It's hard to tell them apart, except your interpretation has more dainty feet.
That's OK. It's symbolic, just as the giant hands of the DAVID sculpture. In this
case it represents the limited grasp this young Swamp sparrow has of its surroundings.
So much to learn. So much to experience before it can fit into an adult's metaphorical shoes.
You've captured the short neck profile. Not as truncated as a WT sparrow and certainly
not as pretentious as the erect posture of a WC sparrow. The tip of the primary wing
feathers should just extend very slightly past the base of the tail. I suspect you can whip
up a bird portrait on a napkin. A great skill for identification of species in the field.

[Ally]

It's hard to tell them apart, except your interpretation has more dainty feet.
That's OK. It's symbolic, just as the giant hands of the DAVID sculpture. In this
case it represents the limited grasp this young Swamp sparrow has of its surroundings.
So much to learn. So much to experience before it can fit into an adult's metaphorical shoes.
You've captured the short neck profile. Not as truncated as a WT sparrow and certainly
not as pretentious as the erect posture of a WC sparrow. The tip of the primary wing
feathers should just extend very slightly past the base of the tail. I suspect you can whip
up a bird portrait on a napkin. A great skill for identification of species in the field.

Thank you. You are just so kind.