---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Adam Pinch adam_pinch@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, Jan 2, 2025, 6:08 p.m.
Subject: Clay-colored Sparrow report
To: Dean Ware deanware1@gmail.com
Okay Dean, see below and the attached sketch. Let me know what you think.
If it is good, send it in.
Adam
Clay-colored Sparrow report for 2024 Cedar Creek Christmas Bird Count
by Adam Pinch
Date: Saturday, December 14th, 2024
Time: around 10:00 am
Location: Weedy field at Jack Miner's bird sanctuary north of main area
Observers: Dean Ware, Joe, Adam Pinch
Identification not in doubt. However, as it is an unusual species for the
CBC (and for time of year in general), documentation perhaps warranted.
Also Dean told the count leader that I would document it, so here goes...
ATSP=American Tree Sparrow
CHSP=Chipping Sparrow
CCSP=Clay-colored Sparrow
BRSP=Brewer's Sparrow
Shape and size:
Smallish and somewhat slender with round head and medium-length tail and
smallish bill typical of Spizella genus. Smaller and less fluffy-looking
than ATSP, roughly size of CHSP both of which were also present. (athough
about 100 ATSP for every 1 CHSP)
I have included a sketch of the bird. I did not make this sketch in the
field and do not offer it as direct "evidence" for the bird, but merely to
highlight the major features observed in the field. referencing some of
the points illustrated in the sketch by number;
-
Bold median crown stripe. I personally did not have an angle suitable
to observe this, but Dean and Joe both did. CHSP and BRSP can both have
somewhat of a medium crown stripe (or at least partial), however the
boldness would favour CCSP over either of those species, especially over
BRSP.
-
Fairly prominent beige/buffy colour of supercillium. (CHSP can be
similar, but BRSP tends to have low-contrast face in all plumages)
3: Face pattern as follows: Dark eye-line (postocular stripe in this case)
does not extend in front of the eyes. In other words, pale lores. This is
an important distinction from CHSP. Also the eyeline did not dominate the
face as it tends to in CHSP. This is because the mustacial stripe and the
lateral throat stripe where of similar prominence on the face as the
postocular stripe resulting in a bolder and more complex face pattern
overall than seen on the somewhat similar species. Mind you, in this
plumage, the face pattern was less bold than in breeding plumage.
4: Completely unstreaked and somewhat warm buffy underparts.
5: Nice unstreaked and clean pale grey nape (hard to illustrate in pencil)
contrasting nicely with face pattern and back, etc... Tends to stand out
slightly better than on winter CHSP, but mainly a distinction from BRSP,
which tends towards a more streaked nape except for, perhaps, the
Timberline sparrow. Other feature distinguish from that.
Other features illustrated but not numbered in the sketch include wing bars
and streaked upperparts. Not particularly important. Just mentioned for
completeness.
Bill and legs pale in colour. Somewhere in the flesh/pink spectrum.
Not observed:Rump colour. Should be brownish in CCSP and grey in CHSP, but
none of us were able to observe the rump colour unfortunately.
One other thing I would mention is that only the duller CCSP would be
confused with BRSP. Although this individual was not in the bolder
breeding plumage, it was still, nevertheless, not a particularly dull bird
for the plumage. I only mention the extremely unlikely (to occur here)
BRSP for completeness.
As I said, the identity was not really in doubt. Dean referred to it as a
"slam-dunk". Although I found this assessment to be fairly accurate, "slam
dunk" is, of course, NOT a description! Hence this report.
British columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland have all had CCSP reports on
ebird this December for what that's worth.
I guess that's about it.
Adam Pinch
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Adam Pinch <adam_pinch@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 2, 2025, 6:08 p.m.
Subject: Clay-colored Sparrow report
To: Dean Ware <deanware1@gmail.com>
Okay Dean, see below and the attached sketch. Let me know what you think.
If it is good, send it in.
Adam
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clay-colored Sparrow report for 2024 Cedar Creek Christmas Bird Count
by Adam Pinch
Date: Saturday, December 14th, 2024
Time: around 10:00 am
Location: Weedy field at Jack Miner's bird sanctuary north of main area
Observers: Dean Ware, Joe, Adam Pinch
Identification not in doubt. However, as it is an unusual species for the
CBC (and for time of year in general), documentation perhaps warranted.
Also Dean told the count leader that I would document it, so here goes...
ATSP=American Tree Sparrow
CHSP=Chipping Sparrow
CCSP=Clay-colored Sparrow
BRSP=Brewer's Sparrow
Shape and size:
Smallish and somewhat slender with round head and medium-length tail and
smallish bill typical of Spizella genus. Smaller and less fluffy-looking
than ATSP, roughly size of CHSP both of which were also present. (athough
about 100 ATSP for every 1 CHSP)
I have included a sketch of the bird. I did not make this sketch in the
field and do not offer it as direct "evidence" for the bird, but merely to
highlight the major features observed in the field. referencing some of
the points illustrated in the sketch by number;
1. Bold median crown stripe. I personally did not have an angle suitable
to observe this, but Dean and Joe both did. CHSP and BRSP can both have
somewhat of a medium crown stripe (or at least partial), however the
boldness would favour CCSP over either of those species, especially over
BRSP.
2. Fairly prominent beige/buffy colour of supercillium. (CHSP can be
similar, but BRSP tends to have low-contrast face in all plumages)
3: Face pattern as follows: Dark eye-line (postocular stripe in this case)
does not extend in front of the eyes. In other words, pale lores. This is
an important distinction from CHSP. Also the eyeline did not dominate the
face as it tends to in CHSP. This is because the mustacial stripe and the
lateral throat stripe where of similar prominence on the face as the
postocular stripe resulting in a bolder and more complex face pattern
overall than seen on the somewhat similar species. Mind you, in this
plumage, the face pattern was less bold than in breeding plumage.
4: Completely unstreaked and somewhat warm buffy underparts.
5: Nice unstreaked and clean pale grey nape (hard to illustrate in pencil)
contrasting nicely with face pattern and back, etc... Tends to stand out
slightly better than on winter CHSP, but mainly a distinction from BRSP,
which tends towards a more streaked nape except for, perhaps, the
Timberline sparrow. Other feature distinguish from that.
Other features illustrated but not numbered in the sketch include wing bars
and streaked upperparts. Not particularly important. Just mentioned for
completeness.
Bill and legs pale in colour. Somewhere in the flesh/pink spectrum.
Not observed:Rump colour. Should be brownish in CCSP and grey in CHSP, but
none of us were able to observe the rump colour unfortunately.
One other thing I would mention is that only the duller CCSP would be
confused with BRSP. Although this individual was not in the bolder
breeding plumage, it was still, nevertheless, not a particularly dull bird
for the plumage. I only mention the extremely unlikely (to occur here)
BRSP for completeness.
As I said, the identity was not really in doubt. Dean referred to it as a
"slam-dunk". Although I found this assessment to be fairly accurate, "slam
dunk" is, of course, NOT a description! Hence this report.
British columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland have all had CCSP reports on
ebird this December for what that's worth.
I guess that's about it.
Adam Pinch