For most of the winter, our yard in Portsmouth is besieged with House Sparrows, and I occasionally scan the flock for something more interesting, such as the time a Dickcissel hung out with them for a few days. A few White-throated Sparrows spend the winter and a couple of Song Sparrows pop in and out of the feeder, but as spring approaches the sparrow action gets more exciting. Most years, we have Fox Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows that show up for a day or two. American Tree, Swamp, Chipping, and Field Sparrows all may make an appearance, so I am on the alert. On April 13, I spotted an unusual looking bird lurking in the brambles with a lot of white on its face. After a better look, I concluded that it was actually a Song Sparrow with some pigmentation changes. I took a few photos and didn’t really think too much about it, except that it continued to show up day after day! Other birds probably do this, but I can’t be certain it is exactly the same bird , with this one I could. Week after week, now month after month, it has been around, through July 30 as I write this. I didn’t find its nest in the yard, but it showed up with fledglings begging for food a few weeks ago. Sometimes when the feeder is empty, it comes to the side screen door and makes its “chimp” call, so I go out with some seed. This bird adds a little excitement as I sort through the summer regulars and look for it every morning. It seems to stay fairly close by. Now, I wonder if it will move on in the fall or stick with us for the winter. Stay tuned!