FreeLists / tn-bird / [tn-bird] Little brown bird help needed

[Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx]

Nashville birders, et al,

Help!  What could this little bird be?  Any ideas?

When I was driving to the vet's to pick up the dogs this afternoon, I saw a 
little brown sparrow-type bird perched rather dodderingly on a "Railroad" 
sign.  It then flew over onto the tops of the grasses in the tiny lot beside 
the road, sort of tripping the light fantastic from grass-head to grass-head, 
seemingly feeding for an instant at each spot.  Its movements over the tops 
of the grasses was reminiscent of watching petrels skip over the waves of the 
ocean.  Because of the location, I could not get out and pursue the bird 
which finally ended up on the low branch of a small tree next to the railroad 
before it disappeared into the interior.  I cannot rule out female/immature 
dickcissal, bobolink or grasshopper sparrow (tail may have been too long for 
grasshopper, or so it seemed when the bird was perched on the railroad sign) 
as I seen similar behavior in those species elsewhere.

The bird was located in the small plot (about 2 1/2  Crown Victoria lengths 
by about 4 of same) which has knee-high grass with heads (like bahia or 
something).  It is in the Belle Meade/West Meade area, and is the spot where 
Post Road curves slightly into Old Harding Road.  At that curve, Old Harding 
bends south to connect with Harding Road at a traffic light at a spot on 
Harding Road which is between the Belle Meade Mansion and the intersection 
with Harding Place.   The railroad runs parallel to Harding Road & Old 
Harding Road there.  The little grassy plot is between the railroad and Old 
Harding Road, and I saw the bird while I was awaiting a traffic light change 
so I could turn right on  Harding.  If anyone wants to check it out, please 
do.  It may have been a little "nothing", but the behavior was interesting, 
and I thought I heard it making a sound with which I am unfamiliar.  I do not 
know if it was visiting or not.

My baby mockers (2 families of them) are keeping me running with peanut 
butter and jelly to keep them satisfied.  One of the young ones is now 
familiar enough with my routine that it comes on call as its parents always 
do.

Happy birding,

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN 
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