"STUBBY"

I met Stubby on my trail to the Big Cedars last September 2. He was a little runt, disheveled and missing his tail feathers. Originally, I thought he had the misfortune of losing his tail feathers, but in future sightings I could see he was a newly fledged sparrow. September is very late for a fledgling to be dallying in the Arrowhead; cold nights, cold rain and snow flurries waiting in the wings.

Stubby hardly ever flew, he scurried around through the underbrush like a little streaked mouse. He darted from branches into the tall, dry grass looking for seeds. I didn't pay much attention to him the first time I saw him, because I thought there would be a mother sparrow somewhere in his vicinity. The next day on the trail, he was in the same spot, hopping and scurrying through the weeds. I stopped and watched him searching for seeds. Since I carry sunflower hearts with me for my chickadees and nuthatches, I threw a few down to him on the ground. He immediately hopped over to the seeds and started feeding on them. I spent many minutes with him each day, throwing him seeds and watching him eat them. It grew to be quite comical, because if he wasn't in the exact spot on the trail, I would whistle the White-throated Sparrow song and he would soon flutter in and eat the sunflower hearts.

What was interesting to me, was that he was always by himself; hopping up to me and begging for his seeds. At times, migrating sparrows would be in the vicinity and I thought Stubby would be missing the next day. A whistle or two would bring the little guy in for his morning treats. I began worrying that Stubby would not make the flight south to northern Mexico and I would have a wintering sparrow.

September 24 dispelled all doubt, for that was the last time I saw Stubby, at least that year. I took this photo of him that day and you can see that he grew out a magnificent tail and looked to be a strong flier.

This spring on the very same trail, albeit a bit farther up the trail, I heard a rustle in the brush. I stopped and this beautiful, female White-throated Sparrow hopped out to meet me. She was motionless on the trail and I took out a few sunflower hearts and tossed them down to her. Without missing a beat, she flew over to the seeds by my feet and began to eat them. I have approached many White-throated Sparrows in the woods and brush, but I have never had another sparrow act the same way as my little buddy Stubby. There is no way I can prove that this sparrow is my sparrow from last fall, but in my heart of hearts I am very sure that it is. Each day, no matter where I am on my various trails within a quarter of a mile, I will whistle and Stubby will find me and stop for a few seeds.

I assume that somewhere, someone has fed a White-throated Sparrow in their hand. Stubby would at times, perch on a branch a couple of feet from me, but she never attempted to land on my hand. She always ate her seeds on the ground by my feet. As spring rolled on, I missed her for a few days, but on occasion she would show up for her seeds. One day, there was a second rustling in the brush and grass. Out hopped a few feet behind Stubby, a brilliantly colored, male White-throated Sparrow. He always kept his distance, watching her approach me and pick up her seeds. Soon he was getting seeds tossed to him and enjoying his newly found buffet.

Days passed and Stubby and her mate began picking up their seeds and disappeared into the deep forest. This went on for sometime until one day she brought her newly fledged chicks for me to meet. It was an impressive new generation, if this was the same sparrow as last fall, she had done a fine job of raising her chicks. I could never figure out an exact number of chicks, but there were at least three. She would not let them get close to me, rather she would fly to them and feed them in a different area of brush. She wouldn't mind if I followed her to take their photos, but she had to do the feeding and not let them take their own seeds... much like the Red-breasted Nuthatches and chickadees until they were mature enough to eat out of my hand.

I didn't see the chicks today, but Stubby met me for her seeds and disappeared into the forest. I haven't seen her mate for a few days, but I assume he is around.

I will look forward to her visits until she leaves again this fall.