Injured Vesper Sparrow

This afternoon, while hawk watching at the Dunning’s Mtn site in Bedford County, I spotted a Vesper Sparrow foraging along the roadside. Last weekend we had seen a Vesper Sparrow in the same spot with some Dark-eyed Juncos. Something looked a little weird today and when I tried to move in closer for a photo, I realized that its wing appeared injured. I was able to grab the bird and sure enough it’s wing was at least fractured if not broken. My guess is that the sparrow was hit by a car. Cory and Matt, friends of mine, who are the hawk watchers at the site took the sparrow to a local wildlife rehabber and she said the wing was fractured, but she could fix it and the sparrow should be able to fly again. I hope everything works out and this beautiful sparrow can once again fly.

Vesper Sparrow with injured right wing

Vesper Sparrow

Vesper Sparrow's tail, with tell-tale white outer feathers

It was a pretty slow day for hawk watching, although it is December, so my expectations were not too high. A sub-adult Bald Eagle was the highlight. Also a massive flock of gulls heading southeast was neat to see.

Sub-adult Bald Eagle

About 200 Ring-billed Gulls and a few Bonaparte's Gulls