The first time I saw a bird that looked like this, I thought it was a sparrow of some sort. When I saw this one, last week, I knew immediately that it was a female Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus).
I have learned a lot about birds and photography this past year. Along the way I also have learned more about myself as I seek to express myself in my words and in my images.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
I wouldn’t have known this was a female red winged blackbird without your ID. Like you used to, I would have said sparrow. They should be leaving soon, shouldn’t they?
There are flocks of blackbirds that are passing through, but I think that we have some that stay year round. Here in Virginia, we are in a zone to which some birds migrate and through which others migrate. We seem to be near the northern edge of the wintering zone for some species.
She sure was sitting pretty for you! It looks like most of the greens (in the cattails?) have gone to brown. Has your weather turned quite a bit colder too?
We had a few frosty mornings this past week and days with with the highs in the low 50’s, but now have returned to days in the mid 60’s.
I like the bird’s stance – all braced up.
Great image – you usual high standard
Thanks. I was happy that this female blackbird posed on a perch that was high in the air–normally the females are down in the undergrowth where it is almost impossible to get a good shot.