White-Crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-Crowned Sparrows, with all of their subspecies (five are recognised), breed from the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin states, north to Alaska and highest latitudes of the Canadian Arctic. These birds thrive at ground level and in low bushes and trees. They are common in the west and not so common in the east. They usually build nests near the ground on small trees or shrubs, but in the tundra of the high Arctic, where there are no shrubs or trees, they will nest on the ground.
Some subspecies are resident and do not migrate, but others travel significant distances each year. For example, the nuttalli subspecies remain year round on the central coast of California, but the gambelii subspecies make long annual journeys from Alaska and Canada, to as far south as the southern USA and central Mexico.
I’ve enjoyed encounters with White-Crowned Sparrows during most of my expeditions in the Western USA. In 2005, while on my drive through Canada and Alaska, they were common in most of the stops I made along the journey. When I learned that the birds I was meeting were the same subspecies (gambelii) that wintered in my Southern California yard, I gained a greater respect for the lifestyle of these birds. The subjects I met in Big Bend Texas were likely members of the same subspecies who hadn’t begun their migration to their high latitude summer homes yet.
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Goodan Ranch, Sycamore Canyon. Poway, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2008:09:30 17:12 |
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Location:
Gooden Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 |
File Name: jcd1662WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: (Zonotrichia leucophrys) First winter bird at Point Loma, San Diego, California USA 2005-01-16. |
Date Taken: 2005:01:16 14:09 |
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Location:
Fort Rosecrans |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/9.5, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD_2920WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Dempster Highway, Ogilvie River Valley, Yukon, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:20 16:53 |
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Location:
Ogilvie River Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD5819WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Spizella arborea) |
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Description: North Fork Pass, Dempster Highway, Yukon, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:19 17:01 |
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Location:
North Fork Pass |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 280 mm, f/7.1, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD5431WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Adult bird in spring at Goodan Ranch, Sycamore Canyon. Poway, California. San Diego County USA 2009-03-30. |
Date Taken: 2009:03:29 17:06 |
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Location:
Goodan Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 |
File Name: JCD4824.WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Chick just out of the nest, but not yet fledged. Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:16 7:37 |
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Location:
Whitehorse |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 390 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 |
File Name: JCD4518WhiteCrownedSparrowChick |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Spring adult at Culp Valley in Anza-Borrego Park, between Ranchita and Borrego Springs. San Diego County, California USA 2008-03-27. |
Date Taken: 2008:03:27 8:09 |
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Location:
Culp Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD4092WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2008 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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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 11:38 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X0925-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Adult bird at Bicknell Bottoms south of Bicknell, Utah USA 2015-05-07. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:07 16:48 |
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Location:
Bicknell Bottoms |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9971-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Seen at the Otter Creek Reservoir, four miles north of Antimony Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:07 11:12 |
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Location:
Otter Creek |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9737-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Seen at the Otter Creek Reservoir, four miles north of Antimony Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:07 11:09 |
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Location:
Otter Creek |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9728-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Seen at the Otter Creek Reservoir, four miles north of Antimony Utah. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:07 11:06 |
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Location:
Otter Creek |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9727-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: First winter bird along Tubb Canyon Trail in Anza-Borrego State Park, near Culp Valley. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:02:26 11:02 |
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Location:
Tubb Canyon Trail |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X3248-WhiteCrownedSparrow-1stWinter |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Adult bird seen along Morris Creek in Garner Valley. Riverside County, California USA 2014-10-23.lifornia. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:23 8:54 |
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Location:
Garner Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X1431-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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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 11:42 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X0962-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Dempster Highway, Ogilvie River Valley, Yukon, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:20 16:53 |
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Location:
Ogilvie River Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/7.6, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD5817WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Many birds 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 17:22 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4964-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Many birds 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 17:18 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4938-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Many birds 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 16:01 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4326-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Many birds, such as this firt winter bird, 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 15:56 |
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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: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4206-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Many birds 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 15:12 |
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Location:
Boyce-Thompson Arboretum |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4044-Boyce-Thompson-Arboretum |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: This suburban immature bird looks to be the gambelli subspecies, which breeds in Alaska and the far north. Thatcher Arizona, in the Gila River Valley. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:20 10:38 |
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Location:
West 1st Street |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/4000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow-1stWinter_D5X1663-Thatcher-AZ |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: These suburban birds look to be the gambelli subspecies, which breed in Alaska and the far north. Thatcher Arizona, in the Gila River Valley. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:21 10:50 |
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Location:
West 1st Street |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X2597-Thatcher-Arizona |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: These suburban bird look to be the gambelli subspecies, which breed in Alaska and the far north. in Thatcher Arizona, in the Gila River Valley. |
Date Taken: 2019:10:21 10:39 |
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Location:
West 1st Street |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X2495-Thatcher-Arizona |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: The 'Bird & Butterfly Garden' at The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:22 12:28 |
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Location:
Bird & Butterfly Garden |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X5023-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: This juvenile bird at Morro Bay on the Central California Coast has not yet earned its First Winter head stripes. |
Date Taken: 2019:07:29 10:58 |
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Location:
Morro Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X9788-MorroBay |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: The coastal slopes of Central California are a place to find the Nuttall's subspecies of White-Crowned Sparrow. Morro Bay on the Central California Coast. |
Date Taken: 2019:07:29 10:00 |
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Location:
Morro Rock |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X9737-MorroBay |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells 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: 2016:12:01 10:25 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X1525 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Birds *AND* mammals were the subject of the SDNHM study during this expedition. Though rodents occupied my primary focus, I did not neglect the common birds at this site. Pinyon Wells, Joshua Tree National Park. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:10:13 8:35 |
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Location:
Pinyon Wells |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D728372 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Sabino Canyon Recreation Area in northern Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:25 14:38 |
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Location:
Sabino Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X7572 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Camped with the San Diego Natural History team near Campo California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:10:25 8:30 |
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Location:
Clover Flat |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X5416-CloverFlats |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Camped with the San Diego Natural History team near Campo California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:10:25 8:21 |
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Location:
Clover Flat |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X5358-CloverFlats |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Camped with the San Diego Natural History team near Campo California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:10:25 8:28 |
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Location:
Clover Flat |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X5403-CloverFlats |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Seen at the Merced National Wildlife Reserve on 2019-01-26, twelve miles southwest of the town of Merced, Merced County California (USA). |
Date Taken: 2019:01:26 16:15 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 280 mm, f/10.0, 1/320 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D507909-Merced-NWR |
| © 2018 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: A winter visitor seen at the Merced National Wildlife Reserve on 2019-01-26, twelve miles southwest of the town of Merced, Merced County California (USA). |
Date Taken: 2019:01:26 15:16 |
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Location:
Merced NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 460 mm, f/10.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D507706-Merced-NWR |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: The song of these birds at Morro Bay was distictly different from the "gambelli" subspecies I've encountered in San Diego and Alaska. The channel entering Morro Bay is a great place to meet Sea Otters and many birds. San Juis Obisbo County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:17 14:59 |
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Location:
Morro Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4403-MorroBay |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: The song of these birds at Morro Bay was distictly different from the "gambelli" subspecies I've encountered in San Diego and Alaska. The channel entering Morro Bay is a great place to meet Sea Otters and many birds. San Juis Obisbo County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:17 9:05 |
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Location:
Morro Bay |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X4171-MorroBay |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Up-slope along Old Mine Road, to the Montezuma Mines near Ranchita, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:17 13:10 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0633-WhiteCrownedSparrow |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Because of the working well and wind pump at the site of the old Sam Nail Ranch homestead in Big Bend, it is a great place to meet a variety of birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:07 10:03 |
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Location:
Sam Nail Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X3219-SamNailRanch |
| (C)2019 Jack Daynes |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Up-close and personal view. Because of the working well and wind pump at the site of the old Sam Nail Ranch homestead in Big Bend, it is a great place to meet a variety of birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:07 10:01 |
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Location:
Sam Nail Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X3209-SamNailRanch |
| (C)2019 Jack Daynes |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: It was a clear calm morning, but a windy afternoon on the day I spent at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, near Las Cruces New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:29 11:10 |
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Location:
Mesilla Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X2099-MesillaValley |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: These are birds I met at the Gilbert Water Ranch, or Riparian Preserve which is located in the middle of the Valley of the Sun, or the Greater Phoenix Metropolian area, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:23 7:55 |
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Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X9903-GilbertArizona |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: The first winter White-Crowned Sparrows I met this day were not in the company of any adults. 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 10:14 |
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Location:
Salmon Falls Creek |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X7271-SalmonFallsCreek |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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