Dark-Eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Juncos are members of the sparrow family. The Dark-eyed Junco group has fifteen members (subspecies), including seven Oregon subspecies, the State Colored, the Pink-Sided, and others. In the western and north-eastern USA they are resident year round, but in the far north (Canada and Alaska) you will only find them in the summer, while in the Great Plains and much of the Southwestern USA they are only found in winter.
The gallery below shows some of the juncos I’ve met during my travels to Alaska, Canada, Wyoming, Arizona, Texas, and across California. If you happen to be traveling through potential junco habitat, keep an eye out for small sparrow-like birds flying up from the ground and into any nearby trees. If you notice a white inverted “V” on a dark tail, you can bet they are juncos.
Dark-eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) From the Fulmor Lake area. Images from the SDNHM study of the Santa Rosa, San Jacinto Mountains. Riverside County, California USA 2010-06-29. |
Date Taken: 2010:06:29 7:49 |
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Location:
Lake Fulmor |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD1347.DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) Male slate-colored variant on the Top of the World Road, Yukon, Canada 2005-06-30. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:30 16:17 |
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Location:
Chicken |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 460 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD6954DarkEyedJunco |
| 2005 Jack Daynes |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: At The Waterhole. Santa Rosa Mountain, Southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:26 15:41 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/20 |
File Name: JCD_9586DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Juvenile at the Waterhole on Santa Rosa Mountain in southern Riverside County, California 2004-08-05. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:04 17:28 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_8148DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: A bird I met at Lawler Lodge near Idyllwild, California in Riverside County. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:25 17:19 |
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Location:
Lawler Lodge |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD9980-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: "Slate-colored" variant. Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:16 8:53 |
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Location:
Whitehorse |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 |
File Name: JCD4552DarkEyedJuncoSlate |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) Adult male, slate-colored Canadian Rocky Mountain variant by the Kootenay River, British Columbia, Canada 2005-05-30. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:30 14:23 |
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Location:
Kootenay Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/6.7, 1/180 |
File Name: JCD2785DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) Adult male, slate-colored Canadian Rocky Mountain variant by the Kootenay River, British Columbia, Canada 2005-05-30. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:30 14:23 |
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Location:
Kootenay Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 500 mm, f/6.0, 1/160 |
File Name: JCD2780DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) As seen from Skyline Drive outside of Pinedale Wyoming USA 2015-05-14. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:14 11:16 |
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Location:
Skyline Drive |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X2448-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) These birds are year-round residents on Santa Rosa Mountain in southern Riverside County, California, USA 2005-09-02. |
Date Taken: 2005:09:02 11:38 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/7.6, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD0889DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The ‘Gray-Headed’ subspecies is more a Rocky Mountain Zone bird. This one was found at the Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. I recently learned of a “Red-Backed” subspecies that is very similar in appearance to this bird, but who’s bill is darker and not the pale color shown on this bird. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 12:04 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X7085-DarkEyedJunco-GrayHeaded |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The ‘Gray-Headed’ subspecies is more a Rocky Mountain Zone bird. This one was found at the Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. I recently learned of a “Red-Backed” subspecies that is very similar in appearance to this bird, but who’s bill is darker and not the pale color shown on this bird. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 12:00 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X7084-DarkEyedJunco-GrayHeaded |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The ‘Gray-Headed’ subspecies is more a Rocky Mountain Zone bird. This one was found at the Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. I recently learned of a “Red-Backed” subspecies that is very similar in appearance to this bird, but who’s bill is darker and not the pale color shown on this bird. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 11:58 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X7083-DarkEyedJunco-GrayHeaded |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 11:51 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X7069-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 11:07 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X6997-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
|
Description: The ‘Gray-Headed’ subspecies is more a Rocky Mountain Zone bird. This one was found at the Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. I recently learned of a “Red-Backed” subspecies that is very similar in appearance to this bird, but who’s bill is darker and not the pale color shown on this bird. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 11:05 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X6995-DarkEyedJunco-GrayHeaded |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The Visitor Center in the community of Laguna Mountain, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:03:11 11:00 |
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Location:
Mount Laguna |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X6989-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) This bird was found in upper Culp Valley, southeast of Ranchita, California. San Diego County USA 2015-01-17. |
Date Taken: 2015:01:17 12:32 |
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Location:
Culp Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X5443-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Near the Murie Center off the Moose-Wilson Road in Teton National Park north of Jackson Wyoming. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:19 11:08 |
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Location:
Whitegrass Ranch Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X3426DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: (Junco hyemalis) As seen from Skyline Drive outside of Pinedale Wyoming USA 2015-05-14. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:14 11:39 |
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Location:
Skyline Drive |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X2470-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis dorsalis) |
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Description: Birds I met in the parking area of The Arboretum at Flagstaff included a Dark-Eyed Junco variety I'd not seen before; the Red-Backed. Note the bi-colored bill which differentiates it from the Gray-Headed subspecies. Northern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:16 14:05 |
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Location:
Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBackedJunco_D5X1172-Arboretum-at-Flagstaff |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis dorsalis) |
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Description: Birds I met in the parking area of The Arboretum at Flagstaff included a Dark-Eyed Junco variety I'd not seen before; the Red-Backed. Note the bi-colored bill which differentiates it from the Gray-Headed subspecies. Northern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:16 13:59 |
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Location:
Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBackedJunco_D5X0991-Arboretum-at-Flagstaff |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis dorsalis) |
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Description: Birds I met in the parking area of The Arboretum at Flagstaff included a Dark-Eyed Junco variety I'd not seen before; the Red-Backed. Note the bi-colored bill which differentiates it from the Gray-Headed subspecies. Northern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:16 14:00 |
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Location:
Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBackedJunco_D5X1022-Arboretum-at-Flagstaff |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis dorsalis) |
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Description: Birds I met in the parking area of The Arboretum at Flagstaff included a Dark-Eyed Junco variety I'd not seen before; the Red-Backed. Note the bi-colored bill which differentiates it from the Gray-Headed subspecies. Northern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:16 14:02 |
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Location:
Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBackedJunco_D5X1116-Arboretum-at-Flagstaff |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: William Heise Park on the western slopes of the Laguna Mountains near Julian. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:06:28 11:03 |
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Location:
William Heise Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD0404-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Many birds, such as this thirsty junco, are attracted to the stored water in Ayer Lake at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona is a well known desert oasis and a great place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:23 16:03 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X4360-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Many birds, such as this thirsty junco, are attracted to the stored water in Ayer Lake at the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum near Superior Arizona is a well known desert oasis and a great place to meet birds. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:23 16:00 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X4292-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
Date Taken: 2005:05:30 15:20 |
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Location:
Kootenay Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD2825DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Up-slope along Old Mine Road, to the Montezuma Mines near Ranchita, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:19 10:34 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X0850-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Juvenile bird at the Springs on Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:12 15:24 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/100 |
File Name: D3X3245-DarkEyedJunco-Juvenile |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:06:10 17:53 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D722266-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:06:10 17:01 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D722040-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:13 6:18 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9203 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: This 'slate-colored' junco is normally associated with the Rocky Mountains, but found at several locations during our study of the area. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:13 6:13 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9193 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: This 'slate-colored' junco is normally associated with the Rocky Mountains, but found at several locations during our study of the area. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:13 6:13 |
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Location:
Cedar Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9188 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Up-slope along Old Mine Road, to the Montezuma Mines near Ranchita, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:19 10:34 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X0854-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Camped with the San Diego Natural History team near Campo California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:10:25 13:04 |
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Location:
Clover Flat |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X5593-CloverFlats |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Camped with the San Diego Natural History team near Campo California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:10:26 8:03 |
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Location:
Clover Flat |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X5630-CloverFlats |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: San Luis Rey Picnic Ground, west of Lake Henshaw in northern San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:29 8:21 |
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Location:
San Luis Rey River |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X8380-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Milk Ranch Road, near Cuyamaca Mountain. South of Julian, California. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:06:15 9:35 |
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Location:
Cuyamaca |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X9685-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:24 8:59 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X8212-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: I found this Gray-Headed bird in Marathon. After spending most of the day in Big Bend National Park, I drove to Marathon Texas, where I discovered the Gage Gardens near the town center. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:07 16:52 |
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Location:
Gage Gardens |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/800 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X4206-Marathon |
| (C)2019 Jack Daynes |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: I found this Gray-Headed bird in Marathon. After spending most of the day in Big Bend National Park, I drove to Marathon Texas, where I discovered the Gage Gardens near the town center. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:07 17:00 |
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Location:
Gage Gardens |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/500 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X4259-Marathon |
| (C)2019 Jack Daynes |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Twin Lakes in Mammoth California elevation 8625 feet. Mono County California in the eastern Sierras. |
Date Taken: 2017:07:16 8:28 |
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Location:
Twin Lakes |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X9417-TwinLakes |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: The springs on Santa Rosa Mountain, at 7500 feet elevation in southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:08:31 8:27 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D724041-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Resident bird found along Morris Creek in Garner Valley. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:23 9:37 |
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Location:
Garner Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X1458-DarkEyedJunco |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Dark-Eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis) |
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Description: Driving south of Jackpot Nevada I found sparrows and juncos at a roadside rest area next to Salmon Falls Creek. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:07 10:25 |
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Location:
Salmon Falls Creek |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: DarkEyedJunco_D5X7385-SalmonFallsCreek |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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