Grasshopper Sparrow Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: July 11th. CLEARLY July 11th is the best day of any year to get a Grasshopper Sparrow photo, given that somehow 14 of my 18 photos below (78%!) were taken on a July 11th.  My favorite photo and encounter with a Grasshopper Sparrow are photos 15 to 18, taken on July 11th, 2020 in McCook County, South Dakota.  It's the closest any Grasshopper Sparrow has ever let me get, which allowed me to get some photos with a great amount of detail, but it was also just such a nice encounter in that I got to sit there an watch him on the same post for about 15 minutes. He was clearly in forage mode, not using the post as a singing or display perch, because he kept shifting positions, looking down at the ground, and searching for insects. Twice he jumped down and disappeared for a moment, evidently capturing (or trying to capture) a buggy snack, but every time he would pop right back up on the same post. With all the movement it allowed me to get photos of him in several different positions. And I admit for the photo below, I kind of like the "bad haircut" vibe as a strong wind that morning ruffled his head feathers.

Grasshopper Sparrow 1 July 8th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 2 July 5, 2006 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 3 July 11th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 4 July 11th, 2006 Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Grasshopper Sparrow 5 July 11th, 2006 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 6 July 11th, 2006 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 7 July 11th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 8 July 11th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Grasshopper Sparrow 9 July 11th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 10 July 11th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 11 July 11th, 2008 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 12 July 11th, 2009 Fort Pierre National Grasslands, South Dakota
Grasshopper Sparrow 13 July 23rd, 2011 Grand River National Grasslands, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 14 August 13th, 2011 Minnehaha County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 15 July 11th, 2020 McCook County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 16 July 11th, 2020 McCook County, South Dakota
Grasshopper Sparrow 17 July 11th, 2020 McCook County, South Dakota	Grasshopper Sparrow 18 July 11th, 2020 McCook County, South Dakota

Click here for the species description page for the Grasshopper Sparrow.

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