White-crowned Sparrow in the Morning Light

I took a picture of a White-crowned Sparrow in the same thicket where I saw the Swamp Sparrow I mentioned yesterday. During the winter and migration, these sparrows inhabit thickets, fields, roadsides, and backyards with patches of bare ground and grasses, which are essential characteristics of their breeding habitat.

White-crowned-Sparrow On Top Of A Thicket
White-crowned-Sparrow On Top Of A Thicket

According to Wild Birds Unlimited, during winter, a White-crowned Sparrow carries about 3 grams of fat, half of which it uses up at night and must replace every day. This thicket is my favorite spot for photographing small birds at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. It is next to the auto tour road and has various plants growing in and around it. These birds are probably finding food sources in this area. There is also a field behind the thicket that has had various crops planted over the years, this year being soybeans.

I like this spot because it gets excellent morning light as the sun rises. When I arrive and park, the birds hide in the thicket. I wait for them to reappear and get comfortable, then take a photo when they land on a perch that I think will make a great picture. I aim to capture a picture that doesn’t have too much brush or plants in the background to avoid detracting from the bird’s image.

Image Information:

  • Date: 12/06/23
  • Time: 09:01 AM
  • Camera: Canon EOS R7
  • Lens: Canon RF 800mm F11
  • ISO: 640
  • Aperture: 11
  • Shutter: 1/1250
  • Exp. Comp.: 0
  • Lens (mm): 800
  • Program Mode: Manual