FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Rpt : Lapland longspur + sparrow ID help needed

["Ian Stewart" <istew2@xxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

I am very happy to say that I saw my first ever lapland longspur today! Thi=
s is a bird that has eluded me for some time, despite much searching of l=
ikely locations around Lexington. I got a good look at a female at Spindl=
etop farm in northern Lexington this afternoon, mixed in with a flock of =
about 10 horned larks. I notice the larks really bunch together when the =
weather gets cold, normally I only see them in ones and twos.

Hopefully the cold weather will have brought in an evening grosbeak, anothe=
r on my most wanted list!

I also saw a sparrow that I couldn't ID, despite good looks at it while it =
fed openly on the ground beside a grassy field. Didn't have a field guide=
 at the time (luckily the longspur was quite an easy ID). Anyway, it was =
small and short-tailed, and had a distinct dark brown crown with white me=
dian stripe. Not a chipping sparrow however, as it had distinct breast st=
ripes meeting in a central spot, though they were smaller and paler than =
on a SOSP. Face was well marked, with two pale and broad crescents, above=
 and below the eye (eyebrow crescent plus a crescent above the moustachia=
l region). Slight tinge of yellowy/buff to these. Also rufous primaries, =
but not rufous on rest of wing. No white outer tail feathers.

My best guess was a variant of savannah sparrow that I have never seen befo=
re, I have read that they are quite variable.

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers
Ian
Ian Stewart
T.H. Morgan School of Biology
University of Kentucky
Lexington
Kentucky
40506-0225
(859) 323-9499
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