Towheeblog

ID help. Pics taken recently in Cascades at about 4600′, west of crest and east of Howard Prairie Lake.

Just based on these two shots, I suspected the top bird of being an immature Cassin’s Finch, the bottom bird of being female or juvie Common Yellowthroat. The complete lack of wing-bars ruled out the other suspects in my mind…any comments would be welcome. [I was wrong on both surmises, almost as weak as guesses!]

HERE IS ANALYSIS FROM FRANK LOSPALUTO WHO MAY KNOW JACKSON COUNTY BIRDS BETTER THAN ANY BODY ELSE: JUVIE VESPER SPARROW ABOVE, NASHVILLE WARBLER BELOW. BOTH ARE COMMON NESTING SPECIES IN THAT SECTION OF THE CASCADES. THANKS, FRANK.

Frank noted the sparrow’s eye-ring, a crucial ID mark. Gray back, yellow belly, no wing bar–of course, that says Nashville. No eye-ring yet on this juvie. Bioth are youngsters born thsi drought summer, both migrate, wish ’em well.