Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana - also known as Bruant des marais (French), Moerasgors (Dutch), Sumpfammer (German), Passero delle paludi (Italian), Chingolo pantanero (Spanish).

From my previous Swamp Sparrow posts: “The peculiar face pattern (stripes on top of head, off eyes, and off corners of mouth) are typical of the Melospiza genus of birds (Song, Swamp and Lincoln’s Sparrows), but the Swamp Sparrow doesn’t have the striped breast common in Lincoln and Song Sparrows.”

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma70-300mm Lens on October 24, 2009, in Davenport, Iowa.

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Flower Fly - Eupeodes sp. - also known as a Syrphid Fly or Hover Fly.

In the Syrphid Fly family. There are 874 species of Syrphid Fly. This one can only be identified to the genus level. Distinguishable from the Syrphus genus because Eupeodes has a margined abdomen, not found in Syrphus.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens in on October 25, 2009, in Davenport, Iowa.

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House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus - also known as Le roselin familier (French), Mexicaanse Roodmus (Dutch), Hausgimpel (Germany), Ciuffolotto messicano (Italian), Carpodaco Común (Spanish), and Husrosenfink (Swedish).

From Cornell:”House Finches are small-bodied finches with fairly large beaks and somewhat long, flat heads. The wings are short, making the tail seem long by comparison. Many finches have distinctly notched tails, but the House Finch has a relatively shallow notch in its tail. Adult males are rosy red around the face and upper breast, with streaky brown back, belly and tail. In flight, the red rump is conspicuous. Adult females aren’t red; they are plain grayish-brown with thick, blurry streaks and an indistinctly marked face.”

See the Purple Finch for a similar species.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 24, 2009 in Davenport, Iowa.

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Green Stink Bug - Acrosternum hilare - also known as the Green Soldier Bug.

Bug Guide: “A large, bright green stink bug. In most of eastern North America…Feeds on plant juices from leaves, fruit, flowers. Feeds on trees, herbs, many crops. Adults and older nymphs are reported to prefer developing seeds and fruit and thus may become crop pests.” This particular species appears to have an injury. See similar Leaffooted Bugs.

Photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 24, 2009, in Davenport, Iowa.

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House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus - also known as Le roselin familier (French), Mexicaanse Roodmus (Dutch), Hausgimpel (Germany), Ciuffolotto messicano (Italian), Carpodaco Común (Spanish), and Husrosenfink (Swedish).

From Cornell:”House Finches are small-bodied finches with fairly large beaks and somewhat long, flat heads. The wings are short, making the tail seem long by comparison. Many finches have distinctly notched tails, but the House Finch has a relatively shallow notch in its tail. Adult males are rosy red around the face and upper breast, with streaky brown back, belly and tail. In flight, the red rump is conspicuous. Adult females aren’t red; they are plain grayish-brown with thick, blurry streaks and an indistinctly marked face.”

See the Purple Finch for a similar species.

Photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 24, 2009, in Davenport, Iowa.

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Golden-Crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa - also known as Indianergoldhähnchen (German), Le Roitelet à couronne dorée (French).

I only had one or two views of this bird and only got this one blurry photo. I assumed it would be a throw-away photo of another Yellow-Rumped Warbler, but it turns out it is a Golden-Crowned Kinglet, a first for me. Thus, it gets posted. The Golden-Crowned is a winter visitor to Iowa. From Cornell: “Tiny bird. Dull, olive-green on back. Whitish below. Wingbars. Black stripe through eyes, white eyebrow. Crown yellow, orange centered in male (often hidden), bordered in black.”

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 17, 2009, near Maysville, Iowa.

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Ruby-Crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula - also known as Roitelet à couronne rubis (French), Roodkroonhaan (Dutch), Rubingoldhähnchen (German), Regolo americano (Italian), Reyezuelo Cornudo Rojo (Spanish).

They only show the ruby crown when they are agitated. This guy was lazily eating the berries and never showed the crown. Note the orange feet. From Cornell: “Tiny bird. Dull, olive-green. Wingbars. Eyering. Short tail. In constant motion, continually flicking its wings. Male with red crown (usually hidden).”

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 17, 2009, near Maysville, Iowa.

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Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe - Moucherolle phébi (French), Phoebe (Dutch), Phoebe (Germany), Febe orientale (Italian), Papamoscas Sombrio (Spanish).

Cornell: “Perhaps the most familiar flycatcher in eastern North America, the Eastern Phoebe nests near people on buildings and bridges. It can be recognized by its emphatic “phee-bee” call and its habit of constantly wagging it tail.”

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 17, 2009, near Maysville, Iowa.

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Brown-Creeper - Certhia americana - also known as Andenbaumläufer (German), Le Grimpereau brun (French).

A winter visitor to Iowa, Brown Creepers spiral up around the tree trunk.

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on October 17, 2009, near Maysville, Iowa.

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European Paper Wasp - Polistes dominula.

This paper wasp resembles a yellow jacket, but no yellow jacket has orange antennae (top photo).

Photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT / 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm Lens on September 27, 2009, in Davenport, Iowa.

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