Wayne R. Petersen
DAVID CLAPP
October is arguably the best month in the year to observe sparrows in Massachusetts. The combination of species diversity and overall sparrow abundance in mid fall makes October a superb time to search for sparrows in weedy fields, community gardens, roadside thickets, saltmarsh edges, and even such unlikely locations as unkept lawns, city parks, and cemeteries. If there is a negative aspect to sparrow watching, it is because many sparrows are nondescript, brown and streaky, and frequently shy or difficult to observe closely. Most to the point, a number of species closely resemble one another, often making their identification challenging.
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