| Common Name | Savannah Sparrow, Ipswich subspecies |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Passerculus sandwichensis princeps |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 12/07/2025 |
| Media | |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Hannah Mahar |
| Mailing Address | 2 Hatch Hill Grand Isle, VT 05458 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 12/14/2025 |
| Names & Emails of Other Contributing Observers | Elizabeth Weed Rosie Berkin Aidan Hannon |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Place Name | Delta Park |
| Township | Colchester |
| County | Chittenden |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 02:45 PM |
| Length of Time Observed | 5 Minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 20 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 6 |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Vortex Diamondback Binoculars, 10x42 |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I am very familiar with Savannah Sparrow subspecies that is more commonly present in Vermont. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | The habitat was a combination of lakeshore and marshy wetland right at the mouth of the Winooski River. Trees were mostly short and scrubby, with driftwood scattered over the shoreline and some marsh grasses visible through the snow cover. |
| Behaviors Observed | The bird was perched low in a small shrub when first spotted, then proceeded to land on the ground. The bird appeared to be foraging on the ground for several minutes before taking off further down the shoreline. |
| Description of Vocalizations | No vocalizations were heard. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | I first noticed a pale bird perched next to a much darker Song Sparrow in a low shrubby tree on the shoreline. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Medium to large-sized sparrow, similar in shape to the SOSP that was present nearby. |
| Head | Light brown crown, cheeks, and nape. Pale supercilium with slightest hint of yellow. Pale throat. Dark eye. |
| Feet & Bill | Short, pointed bill. Light pink at the base with darker tip. |
| Upper Back | Light brown and pale cream streaking. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Not easily visible due to position of bird. |
| Wings | Relatively short. Dark flight feathers with light reddish-brown edges. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Very light clean brown streaking on breast and flanks.mostly un-streaked belly. Pale, unmarked under tail coverts. |
| Tail | Relatively short. Dark brown rectrices with tan edges. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Savannah Sparrow: The bird was paler overall than typical Savannah, and the face had a very minimal amount of yellow above the eye. Song Sparrow: The bird was lighter in color, had a smaller bill and shorter tail in comparison to the Song Sparrow perched nearby. The streaking was also more sparse on the bird than on the Song Sparrow. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
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