Unknown Sparrow? ID help

OK people, now that I have a new lens and am getting shots that I really like, I need to know the identities of the birds that I am taking photo's of. I'm pretty certain that I have stated before that I don't know birds for schizzle!

The closest I can come with my book is that this is a sparrow of some sorts, but the colours don't match anything in the book. The closest I can come is a "White-throated Sparrow"?

Please help me out here so that I can at least learn the common birds!

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …h/unknownsparro​w.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …/unknownsparrow​1.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …/unknownsparrow​2.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …/unknownsparrow​3.jpg.html

Wonderful clear shots, John! It could be a Savannah Sparrow....maybe...

My guess would be a Nelson's sparrow. You did great job capturing him, beautiful colors and superb detail.

https://www.google.com …niv&biw=640&bih​=360&dpr=2

I should know better than try to ID a sparrow

Think what you've found is a Sharp-Tailed Sparrow. They frequent marshy areas and from the looks of the grasses in the picture, it is marshy. Also they have the characteristic orange "ring" around the side of the face. Nice images too!

I take it back...I looked in a 30+ year old Golden Birds of North America. In the more recent Peterson book, it's either a Nelson's Sparrow or Saltmarsh Sparrow. Where did you take the image. That might help identify which it is. Sorry for any confusion.

Dano_nav wrote in post #16348220
I take it back...I looked in a 30+ year old Golden Birds of North America. In the more recent Peterson book, it's either a Nelson's Sparrow or Saltmarsh Sparrow. Where did you take the image. That might help identify which it is. Sorry for any confusion.

He's in or near Halifax. You may still be right, I saw reference to a "Nelson's Sharptailed Sparrow"!

Those are some great shots of a beautiful sparrow, whatever the species.
Al

Dano_nav wrote in post #16348220
I take it back...I looked in a 30+ year old Golden Birds of North America. In the more recent Peterson book, it's either a Nelson's Sparrow or Saltmarsh Sparrow. Where did you take the image. That might help identify which it is. Sorry for any confusion.

Well, it was taken on the Rails to trails, trail over the Cole Harbour Salt Marsh. LOL

Here's another angle...

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …h/NelsonsSparro​w.jpg.html

Thanks all for the kind comments.

I really enjoyed my Bigma, but this was a huge upgrade and absolutely no contest!

Ian: How do you get the multiple quotes in one reply?? I can't figure that out.

tks,

Eastcoast wrote in post #16348271
Thanks all for the kind comments.

I really enjoyed my Bigma, but this was a huge upgrade and absolutely no contest!

Ian: How do you get the multiple quotes in one reply?? I can't figure that out.

tks,

Beside the quote mark is one with a plus sign....hit that for all the replies you want to reply to.

Looking at the range of each species, (Nelson's vs. Saltmarsh) and the orange on the breast being slightly duller than the orange on the face, I'd say that most likely it's a Saltmarsh Sparrow. Enjoyed trying to figure out this mystery.

Wallace River wrote in post #16348288
Beside the quote mark is one with a plus sign....hit that for all the replies you want to reply to.

Doh! Thanks Ian.

Dano_nav wrote in post #16348293
Looking at the range of each species, (Nelson's vs. Saltmarsh) and the orange on the breast being slightly duller than the orange on the face, I'd say that most likely it's a Saltmarsh Sparrow. Enjoyed trying to figure out this mystery.

Sounds great to me, another thing learned! Thanks so much for the help.

Ran across this PDF while attempting to I.D. this bird, it's a long read, but worth it. The PDF is at the top of the link.

https://www.google.com …Sparrow&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

sliceotime wrote in post #16348536
Ran across this PDF while attempting to I.D. this bird, it's a long read, but worth it. The PDF is at the top of the link.

https://www.google.com …Sparrow&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

It really does look like the Nelsons in these pictures doesn't it??