Eurasian Tree Sparrow in St. Louis County
2018-06-01

'Casual' in Minnesota - Five or fewer records in St. Louis County for the Summer season

Though not easy to find on any given day, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow first found by Jim Lind on 8 May at the Essentia Health Wellness Garden at 4th Ave E and E 1st St in Duluth, continues to be seen anywhere between 3rd and 4th Ave E, especially in the trees and shrubs along 4th Ave E and in the alley between E 1st and 2nd St. This image was taken on a cold (high of 41 degrees), windy (NE at 20-25 mph), and rainy day -- an inauspicious start to meteorological summer. These conditions forced me to use a high ISO of 3200 producing a very "noisy" image despite running it through a noise reduction filter post-production. Birds at the feeder, including the male House Sparrow on the left, had to deploy their wings to maintain balance as the feeder swung wildly in the wind.

Peder H. Svingen