Chipping Sparrows (Spizzella passerina)

All of the many sparrows at our feeders this time of year confuse me! They are at so many different stages and ages that if I do not actually see an adult bird feeding a fledging I often cannot identify the bird. I have a tendency at first to think they are all Song Sparrows until I see a bit of yellow at their lores and then I am thinking Savannah or White-throated Sparrow. It there seems to be a lot of creamy coloured beige at their malars, then I am starting to think Lincoln Sparrow.

Looking at the photo to the upper right might give you an idea of what I mean. Without seeing the adult feeding this bird I would have been at a loss to identify it as a young
Chipping Sparrow.

Chipping Sparrows are probably the most resident of summer birds at our feeders, yet I had never really identified its young before until taking these pictures this week.

Below is a handsome adult Chipping Sparrow at our feeder area in May, '06.