Date: 10/30/24 4:31 pm From: Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> Subject: More on the Strange Pipit at Charlie Craig and Today’s Birding
I have rewritten the details for the pipit in eBird
“ I believe this was indeed a Sprague’s, but not absolutely sure. The following support that conclusion
While stil a ways off a bird landed where the pipit was first spotted with quite a bit of white in the tail. I had no idea what kind of bird it was. I couldn’t have think of anything so patterned except possibly one of the “western” longspurs.
The size of the birds eyering, the scaly streaked back, the lack of tail wagging, and the hiding in tall grass all point to Sprauge’s.
What goes against Sprauge’s is the eyering was quite white, not simply lighter than the rest of the face. It also looked quite .round not oblate.
The only pipit heard by Merlin was American.
When I picked the bird up before it reached the sweetgrass I did not see white in the tail.
I did not hear the bird vocalize, and the tail pattern might be explained by it not being spread and the aspect by which I was viewing it. I have seen American Pipits pause their tail wagging so I don’t the lack of it is diagnostic.
So what is convincing me is the streaked scaly back and its hiding in tall grass. I noticed the back before I looked at the pipit in the guide
Why, I have not moved it into the Sprauge’s column is my lack of experience with the species and my propensity to make mistakes, as well as my struggles to separate common sparrow species. Sometimes I find such separation obvious, and at other times, I am confused by them"
I really struggled with striped sparrows today, especially separated Savannah and Song. and Swamp. at Logan Springs. I also had two Eastern Towhee's, but Merlin only heard Spotted. The picture of Spotted brought up by Merlin has fewer spits than anyone that I've ever seen. The Eastern's were a male and female about 75 yards apart. Nothing in their plumage suggested Spotted to me. I remember reading that "Rufous-sided" learn their songs, so perhaps one or both of them was from an area which also hosts Spotted. I did nit hear and vocalization from the towhees. Merlin on my last two trips has reported Snow Bunting, at Logan Springs. So how trustworthy it is on towhee vocalizations I just don't know
I met Patty Kirk at Logan Springs. she birds very much by ear, and can distinguish sparrows by their songs and calls. She has also not lost the ability to hear Ian the upper registers.
After Logan Springs it was off to Siloam Springs Lake. I had a line fish crow there. I think the area may be the only place from which they have not withdrawn north of the valley.
Not seen today, but another one of my struggles is Empids vs. Wood Pewees. Again sometimes the difference is so obvious to me at at other times I am frustrated that it is not.
