[TN-Bird] Lewis County: sparrows etc.

The season's first Fox Sparrow turned up at my place in western Lewis  
County this morning (Oct. 23, 2006), along with another Lincoln's  
Sparrow.  Also in the mix were one each Tennessee and Orange-crowned  
Warblers and a Blue-headed Vireo.  Yesterday yielded a lingering  
Nashville Warbler.  The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have abruptly  
vanished; they were still numerous on Oct. 20, but I haven't seen one  
since.  Indigo Buntings are still present but much diminished in  
numbers. Otherwise the "summer birds" are pretty much gone.

Thanks to those who responded about Lincoln's Sparrows.  One thing I  
have noticed about how secretive they are... living in the southeast  
I always had the impression they were much more secretive than Swamp  
Sparrows.  But when I lived out west, where Lincoln's is common and  
Swamp is rare, it seemed like the Swamp was the more secretive  
species.  I think they are pretty similar in their skulkiness, but  
around here Swamp is so much more common you'll just happen to get  
good views of perched birds by blind luck often enough even without  
trying.  Where they are rare and you have to see that one and only  
individual in the brushy field full of other Melospizas, a Swamp  
Sparrow can be every bit as sneaky and frustrating as a Lincoln's  
Sparrow is here.  One thing that does make Lincoln's Sparrows easier  
to overlook than their congeners is their call.  Swamps have that  
loud sharp phoebe-like call, and Songs have a loud distinctive note  
as well.  But the Lincoln's little buzzy call is much less ear- 
catching, and easily missed alongside the quite similar buzzy call of  
a Swamp Sparrow and the sort-of-similar buzzy call of an Indigo Bunting.

So if anyone has pointers on finding LeConte's Sparrows I'd be very   
interested.  That's a bird I've only  managed to find a couple of  
times away from their nesting grounds.

Bill Pulliam
Hohenwald TN
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