About a week ago, on 27 June 2016, I made my usual drive SW of the city, mainly to check on the last pair of Mountain Bluebirds that I have been watching. The previous pair had already disappeared from their nest box after their babies had all fledged. I missed this, as I hadn't been able to fit in a drive over there. This time, I was hoping to see the final pair one more time, but when I arrived, there was no sign of either adult, so I guess they, too, have left. Always makes me sad when I know my days of photographing them has come to an end, at least for this year. At least their small neighbours, a pair of Savannah Sparrows, were still hanging around, and there were endless Red-winged Blackbirds everywhere I went.

There was no sign of any Bobolinks, either, and I was beginning to wonder if this was going to be one of those 'dreaded' trips where there was nothing to photograph. Thankfully, a Wilson's Snipe came out of hiding just when I was driving along the usual road. I'm always happy to see a Snipe.

"Not all streaky brown birds are impossible to identify: Take a closer look at this one and you’ll see an understated but distinctive sparrow with a short tail, small head, and telltale yellow spot before the eye. Savannah Sparrows are one of the most numerous songbirds in North America, and while sometimes overlooked, are likely visitors across the continent. In summer, they don’t hesitate to advertise their location, belting out a loud, insect-like song from farm fields and grasslands." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Savannah_Sparrow/id