Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus

Vesper SparrowAfter a very late start, I convinced my family we should go for a walk in the Pleasant Valley Conservation Area in McHenry County (not far from Woodstock & Huntley). The weather today was hot (about 90°F), sunny and windy - and we didn't get there until almost 11AM...NOT usually good for birding.

I have not been along all the trails in Pleasant Valley and decided to go along one I hadn't yet been on...I'm glad I did. I saw a sparrow on the trail (dirt road - appears to be the trail at the south identified as 'Nature Trail' on the map). I never got really close to it but I got close enough to know it wasn't one of the normal sparrows. Here is a link to the McHenry County Conservation District maps page - Pleasant Valley is in the middle, second from the bottom)

I managed to snap the attached shots before the bird flew off - and I was not able to locate it again. I wasn't 100% sure of the ID, but Steve Huggins confirmed it for me...a Vesper Sparrow. While I was able to watch it, it ran instead of flew along the road. The main ID points on this bird are the white eye-ring and white outer-tail feathers (usually visible in flight). In the photo at the lower-right, you can see the usually hidden chestnut shoulder patch (which I did not notice in the field - one advantage of photography!).

Because of the distance between the bird & I, I have enlarged the pictures, hence the quality is lower than usual. I'll have to return one day & try for better photos!).
Vesper SparrowVesper Sparrow - note chestnut shoulder patch