FreeLists / bristol-birds / [bristol-birds] Peaceable Sparrows, Hampton, TN

[Kat92047@xxxxxxx]

About an inch of snow cover this morning had some heavy traffic at my feeders 
at home on Simerly Creek Rd., Hampton, in Carter County, TN.

I witnessed one very striking scene: a pair of Field Sparrows feeding in very 
close proximity with a beautiful Fox Sparrow. While this unusual trio fed 
peacefully, Juncos and Song Sparrows, not to mention American Goldfinches, 
were fussing and fretting for first choice at the feeders and for seed 
scattered on the ground.

I've always been impressed by how well Field Sparrows get along. It's very 
unsparrowlike of them. I cannot recall ever having seen Field Sparrows act 
agressively toward each other or other birds. Is this also an impression any 
others have noticed?

But, the Fox Sparrow was also behaving itself toward them. I know for certain 
a Song Sparrow or Junco would probably have intimidated the smaller Field 
Sparrows out of their chosen feeding spot. Of course, at its size, the Fox 
Sparrow probably knew it had nothing to fear from the Fields...or any of the 
other sparrows feeding.

Bryan Stevens,
Hampton, TN

*************************************************
       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications 
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.  It serves the Russell County
Bird Club, Herndon Chapter TOS, Greeneville TOS 
Chapter, Blue Ridge Birders Club, Butternut Nature
Club, Buchanan County Bird Club, Bristol Bird Club,
Clinch Valley Bird Club and Cumberland Nature Club.
--------------------------------------------------
You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds.
To post to this mailing list, simply send an email
to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send
an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
the one word 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
--------------------------------------------------
       Wallace Coffey, Moderator
         jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx
           (423)764-3958