Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) found in saltwater marsh near South Bend.
Planning for and going out on a photo shoot takes many forms; everything from “the light is good, I need a walk, grab my camera”, to “I want to capture a photo of a specific bird in a particular habitat and light”. Usually it lies somewhere between, but in all cases, when I’m out with my camera, I notice (and usually photograph) a variety of birds.
Recently I used eBird to find potential locations for Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, and identified the wetlands a few miles south of South Bend seemed promising. Instead of Yellowlegs though, I found Savannah Sparrows and a Northern Harrier, as well as hear a Belted Kingfisher and a few others. This is the beauty and wonder of these explorations! I did eventually find the Yellowlegs in another location, but the light and setting were not nearly as interesting.
So after shooting 150+ images, I found a few to mark as something I would enjoy sharing. Though not the bird I was hoping for, they were great fun to watch in the morning light!
This is part of the complexity, discovery, and certainly the fun of my current “birds and their habitats” project.
Greater Yellowlegs
Savannah Sparrow
