One the lawn in a mixed flock of goldfinches and sparrows. First thing that caught my eye was an apparently clear "white" breast. Got out the binocs and saw the face and had to get the good camera out.

Original pic.



zoomed and cropped:



We have a lot of white crowned here, but this one has that white mustache bordered by black. I checked a couple of books and I can't seem to find a good representation? Maybe a sage (sagebrush sparrow?) of some sort? Intergrade? Hybrid?

Lark sparrow.

Look for white corners on the tail when it flies. They sing pretty good too.


https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lark_Sparrow/id

Looks like a cross of a sparrow and a bobwhite.lol.

Thanks Birdie. I'll check that in Sibley and a few others. Funny, as I checked the buntings and larkspurs too.

If so, I think it's one of those "lifers".

I was thinking some kind of Field Lark.

Meadow Lark?

#6

low brass

They’re common across the western half of Texas, and they’re all over the Hill Country, most often seen walking around on the ground in open places.

Yep, no notes in the book.

Appears they are not unheard of here. Seems they like the dandelion seeds too.

Dude, #6 would way overpenetrate.

I've got some 8's out in the shed.

Well, use a 20 ga then

I gots #8s in that gauge too!

That bird's right over the [bleep] and leachfield. Don't want an axxeedent there.

2-4-D them ‘lions.

Sheesh.

Hold into the herbicide.

Yep. That’s what I was thinking too, Mike.

I have no idea why people get bent out of shape about dandelions.

Burr clover? That’s a whole different story.

Definitely a Lark Sparrow. A common bird in steppe environments.

I love the dandelions, but they're a bit out of hand right now. Mild, very dry winter and the grass didn't come back in very well to crowd out the new seedlings.

But, we don't spray as it's the dogs' yard. Don't want it on their feet, which they are constantly cleaning. I get the weed popper out and pull some out every now and again, but they really don't bother me. I tear up leaves every day and toss them to the chickens, the go crazy fighting each other for them. They get fresh grass too.

I always let some grow in the garden area (they don't get dog piss on them that way!) and use them for fresh greens. Had some of them and some young prickly lettuce on my salad for lunch today as a matter of fact.

I love seeing the American goldfinches come in every year to eat them dandelion seeds. The sparrow was a bonus,

Birdie, not much burr clover here, but starting in late Feb we get the burr buttercup coming up. I use the weedburner on them when it's moist enough to not set a wildfire, the wife pulls them by hand. Nasty crap, nearly as bad as puncture vine, which is one item I will occasionally use real herbicide on. Usually use the 30% vinegar first on anything I want dead. Works pretty good.

Looks like a chickmunk with wings to me.

Chondestes grammacus, or Lark Sparrow. Common to sage brush areas, degraded grasslands.

Might just be me, but I hate them.

Invasive and outcompete turf/pasture grass.