Fox Sparrow

The fox sparrow summers in northern and western North America, and Chicagoland is on the edge between it's migration and winter territory. This is a large sparrow and which is named for it's red color.  Feeding behavior normally involves scuffing in leaf litter for seeds and insects, but only observed this once today. This bird went straight for the bird seed spread on the ground.

The white stuff on the ground is not snow. It sleeted all day yesterday, and the slush formed a frozen ice pack. Today is cloudy, and the white ground served as an excellent reflector for fill light.

Saw Wee Kee Park