Henslow's Sparrow

    This past week I had the opportunity to work out of Green-Wood Cemetery where it just so happened a cool bird was hanging out. So OF COURSE I got there early, saw the bird and marveled. A Henslow's Sparrow hung out for nearly a week in Green-Wood Cemetery (perhaps its still there, who knows) and has been quite reliable in its location and the fact that it can be seen. 

Normally a denizen of wet grasslands and prairie where it is damn hard to find, here it is in the (short) grasses of the cemetery.

Normally quite secretive, this bird is said to be fairly worry-free along its migration route as it did it's thing amongst an adoring small group of its biggest fans.

Little is known about this bird in the winter as its fairly silent and secretive in its winter range. SO I'll consider this life bird a special one, I can't imagine seeing this species too often as grasslands are hard to come by and even in this short grass, you could lose sight of this bird.

In the spring and summer this bird primarily eats insects but come winter it switches over to a diet of seeds.

My favorite thing about this bird was its behavior, even in the shortest of grasses, it was very mousy and burrowed through the smallest of blades.

It was also fairly cold this morning, so this bird had gone borb a fair number of times.

The patterns and colors on this bird were absolutely stunning.

Serious borb content right here.

most of the time, this little bird was busy just shoving food it found in its mouth.

ohmmygoff, haff ya haff fifh seeth?! Isso goo! ohmmmm nom nom nom!

thif seed, iths delishisth!!

Later, while on the clock and completing one of our activities for work... we accidentally stumbled upon the group observing the bird and I helped my other colleagues also get their lifer Henslow's Sparrow!

And to round out all the cuteness, the Quaker parrots were being extra cute. Poor bird at the top had no snuggle pal.

All the pairs. So damn cute.