Song Sparrows in Winter

 Song Sparrows are a common sight during the summer as they breed here in Newfoundland.  Yet, every winter so far I have seen several.  This year is no different.  This little Song Sparrow has been hanging out with a small group of House Sparrows on the shoreline of Rennies Mill River.

I have also found one other Song Sparrow in Quidi Vidi Village and at least one, possibly two, behind the houses near Torbay Beach.  In Torbay I saw clearly and photographed one of the sparrows but the other evaded me very easily as I was not willing to walk into some one's backyard.  I am assuming that it, too, was a Song Sparrow but I didn't see it well at all.

Even in Winter the Song Sparrow likes to have a little bath.  It was just below freezing on the day that I watched this little bird hop down to the river's edge and take a dip.

It put on quite a show but unfortunately is was a very dark day and it went under the edges of the brush overhang making it even darker.

Even with me watching this little bird took at least a five-minute dip before heading back to feeding underneath the feeder. All of this watching adds up to a better understanding of the birds. Even a familiar bird can teach me a lot about the behaviour of the species.  My brain is in overload trying to retain all of this info but the pursuit is compelling.