Golden-crowned Sparrow

Earlier this year, Ashley and I drove south into Missouri to chase a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW that was frequenting a yard.  We arrived and saw this SPOTTED TOWHEE right away:

And then this bird popped up, surely the Golden-crowned, right?

Nope, clearly a young WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

Was the Golden-crowned on the ground with these guys?

Again, no, instead there were AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, a NORTHERN CARDINAL, female PURPLE FINCHES, and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW..

Finally, this bird popped up along the back of the yard.  THIS was the GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW:

It eventually started to work towards the feeders and closer to us:

Finally, it came in and fed on the ground.  Here it is with a male NORTHERN CARDINAL, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and female PURPLE FINCH:

The PURPLE FINCHES here were incredible, easily 50-100 at one spot.  Here is a picture of part of the flock as well as a female that posed nicely:

There were many AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, this one braver than the others:

Lastly, here is a FOX SPARROW that also made an appearance:

This was only the second time in my life that I had seen a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW; the first being on Middleton Island, Alaska, where I worked with seabirds for a summer back in 2003.