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Ground Sparrow / bird photography Frustration

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:08 pm
by James Vellozzi
Hi Everyone..
I consider myself a decent photographer with most songbirds (my primary subject). When it calls for laying on the ground I do and often succeed with birds such as doves, and robins.

This winter I have been trying relentlessly to get Fox Sparrows up on a perch rather than in pure white snow. I have exhausted all my ideas and still no luck. 
These birds when they come into the feeding area will often land quite high in neighboring trees and then drop to the ground bypassing my available / desired perches. 

Do anyone know any good tricks to bring this sparrow off the ground and land up on the stumps and perches that are right above it?
Perhaps I am overlooking something..

I got about 2 weeks left before these beautiful sparrows head back to boreal regions.. 

Thanks for any help..

Regards,
James Vellozzi

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 6:34 am
by Karl Egressy
Try to setup a platform feeder and make sure that there is no seed on the ground. (collect them if there is any)
Add perch to the platform feeder and the bird might land on.
This one was taken at a feeder station on a dry dead tree branch close by.
They do land in trees, shrubs sometimes.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127685854 ... 047565113/

Re: Ground Sparrow / bird photography Frustration

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 10:36 am
by Mark Robinson
Hi James,

If you scroll down the page below, there is an image of a Fox Sparrow photographed atop broken stump that I filled with seeds. It was eye level, and in a preserve where I see the species fairly regularly. I found it not too difficult to coax them, and several other species to perch this way. This shot is from several years ago.

http://critterlight.com/new_page_2.htm

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 11:07 am
by Paul Fusco
Hi Jim,

Try to set up a perch in-between the high treetop landing spot and the seed on the ground. If the setup perch is positioned in the flight path foxy may use it. Keep the seed distribution to a small area.
Good luck!

Paul

Re: Ground Sparrow / bird photography Frustration

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 11:54 am
by OntPhoto
Seeds are the way to go.  All birds understand one thing, food.  As Karl mentioned, try and get rid of any seeds on the ground or elsewhere nearby.  You can always cover seeds on the ground with some large garbage bags.

Same with snow buntings, horned larks etc.  Just about all close up photos you see of snow buntinys flying or fighting are done by luring them into a single spot with seeds (some use niger seeds).  Small numbers of snow buntings are best to work with to avoid the 'flock mentality' where when one bunting gets spooked and takes off, they all take off.  But I digress.  You asked about Fox Sparrows.

Re: Ground Sparrow / bird photography Frustration

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:36 pm
by Tim Zurowski
Hi James

Here's how I have success with them at my feeder setups. As mentioned by others, have little or no seed on the ground. Have the feed you are attracting them to situated a few feet above the perch you want them on. Have the perch about 1 foot off the ground, and have it as close to the edge of some bushes or thickets as you can set it. You can even make a ramp coming out of the thickets to the edge of your perch. Sometimes having a perch angled out of the thicket will also work well. Fox Sparrows are one of the hardest to get up on a perch, but with patience, they will get up there; and, on occasion will even sit on the top of the perch for a minute or two. The idea here is to get them to want to get to the feed and use the perch as a first point to get there from.

The other option is to come out here and use my blind setup to get them :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:09 am
by James Vellozzi
Thanks everyone for the ideas. I think m first mistake was seed everywhere which is did at the start of the feeders before deep snow came.. now the snow is gone and seed is exposed everywhere