I went to Sunnymede Park in Fort Smith after seeing a Facebook post from Sandy Berger about Clay-colored Sparrows there. This would be a new bird for me, so I wanted to look for one during my next photo walk.
Clay-colored Sparrow Arkansas Sighting at Sunnymede Park
I found the bird in a pine tree beside the trail at Sunnymede Park. At first, I thought it might be the Clay-colored Sparrow I had hoped to see.
After I got home, I checked my photos more closely. I also had a friend confirm the identification.
That made this sighting even better. It is always exciting to photograph a bird for the first time, especially when it shows up close enough for a clear look.
Clay-colored Sparrows are small sparrows with a plain, soft look. Clay-colored Sparrows have light brown upper-parts, pale underparts, a gray head, a white eyebrow line, and a dark eyeline.
They are often linked with shrublands, field edges, and thickets. Seeing one at Sunnymede Park made the morning feel like a real reward.
Finding This Sparrow Along the Fort Smith Trail
This bird was not one I found by accident alone. Sandy’s post gave me a reason to watch more closely on that walk.
That is one thing I enjoy about local birding. A shared sighting can help another photographer or birder notice something they might have missed.
I was lucky twice that morning. First, I found the Clay-colored Sparrow. Then it stayed visible long enough for me to make a photo.
The bird was in a pine tree near the trail, which gave me enough of a view to work with. I did not have a long encounter, but it was enough to document a new species for me.
Photographing a New Bird in Morning Light
I photographed this Clay-colored Sparrow on May 9, 2023, at 7:20 in the morning. The early light helped, and I used my long zoom to reach the bird in the tree.
Camera details from this photo:
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Location: Sunnymede Park, Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Date and time: May 9, 2023, 7:20 A.M.
- Aperture: f/7.1
- Shutter speed: 1/800
- ISO: 640, Auto
- Exposure compensation: +1.0
- Focal length: 500mm
I am grateful Sandy shared the sighting. Without that post, I might not have known to look for this bird at Sunnymede Park.
Finding and photographing a new bird is one of the best parts of walking familiar trails. This Clay-colored Sparrow made that morning one I will remember.