I have a singing Clay-colored Sparrow hanging out in my back yard in the
south part of Lynchburg. I believe it has been here since Friday
morning when I first heard the song. I was not familiar with the song,
however, and did not recognize it. I thought it might just be an
abnormal song of something like a Black-throated Green Warbler, and it
was not until this morning when I got a good look at the bird that I
realized what it was. The Bluebook does not list any Piedmont records.
It is rare on the coast in the fall, and the Bluebook lists two spring
records and six fall records for the Mountains.
John and Thelma Dalmas, Rexanne Bruno, Randy and Sue Thrasher, and Bob
and Betty Epperson have already been out this morning. Rexanne got some
fair digital pictures I believe, and Randy Thrasher got some video
footage.
People are welcome to come out and try for it. Lynchburg is about an
hour south of Charlottesville on 29, and an hour east of Roanoke and an
hour west of Farmville on 460. If coming from the west on 460, get off
on Business 460, Timberlake Avenue, and take it about 5 miles, past
where it crosses Rt 29/501. At this point Timberlake now becomes Fort
Avenue. A traffic light will be passed, the road will go under a train
viaduct, and the next traffic light is Long Meadows Drive on the left,
and a post office on the right. Turn left onto Long Meadows Drive, and
go about 0.1 mile as the road dips down, comes back up, and bends a
little to the right. As the road crests the little hill, turn left on
Pawnee Drive. Immediately on the right you will pass one house, then
turn right onto Chris Lane, our street. It is a circular cul-de-sac,
and our house, 108 Chris Lane, is at 10 o'clock.
If you are coming from the east on 460, get off on Candler Mountain Road
after Campbell Ave, then get onto Rt 29S/501N. Do not take the Rt 29S
exit to the left right after that, but instead continue on Rt 501 N, and
take the next exit, Fort Avenue, and then follow the previous
directions.
From the north on 29, go through town and past the Candler Mountain Rd
exit, then past the left exit for 29S, continuing on Rt 501 N, taking
the Fort Avenue exit as above.
From the south on 29, after the airport you will enter town. Take the
Rt 501 N exit, then the Fort Avenue exit as above.
The bird spends most of its time at the top of a white oak tree straight
back from the deck in the back yard, about 40 feet away. It has been
singing sporadically this morning the last three hours since at least 7
AM. There are also Chipping Sparrows up there with it at times, along
with Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and some warblers. At least three or four
times this morning it has also flown down into the shrubs at the edge of
the yard just below the deck, at the edge of the little wooded ravine
behind the house. Here it is just 20 feet away, and comes to feed in
the grass below the deck on the mixed seed thrown there for the
White-throated Sparrows, Mourning Doves, etc. We also had eight
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in the yard yesterday, and several are still
around. Our number is 434 237-1832, but people are also welcome to come
and bird off the deck if we are not home. I'll post updates on the bird
as to whether it stays around.
Gene Sattler
Lynchburg
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