Subject: Re: Methow/Okanogan report, Clay-colored Sparrow - Camas Crk. Burn
Date: Jun 12 21:53:55 1995
From: Maureen Ellis - me2 at u.washington.edu


RE: Chipping Sparrows in Pierce County

Our SAS Bird-a-thon trip in late May to Ft. Lewis found chipping sparrows
in a dry pine forested area just off one of the roads. I don't know Ft.
Lewis well enough to give specific directions to see if they are
nesting. However, Mark Moon was our trip leader. A call to the SAS
nature shop may get you better information.

Maureen Ellis
Dept Environmental Health
Toxicology Group at Roos 1
Univ of WA-Seattle, 98195
mellis at dehpost.sphcm.washington.edu
me2 at u.washington.edu


On Mon, 12 Jun 1995, Eugene Hunn wrote:

> Michael,
>
> There are lots of Columbian Ground Squirrels west to Hart's Pass and
> Manning Provincial Park. I don't know how far south they extend on the
> east slope or Cascade crest. Not too far presumably, though I think I
> heard them on the Teanaway River once above Cle Elum.
>
> Gene Hunn.
>
> Another PS: with an SAS field trip at Big Four Meadows in eastern
> Snohomish Co. had at least two Chipping Sparrows, one singing snatches of
> song, Saturday, June 10. Anybody finding Chipping Sparrows on the west
> side north of the Pierce Co. Prairies?
>
>
>
> On Sat, 10 Jun 1995, M. Smith wrote:
>
> >
> > Hi Tweets, a recent trip to Methow and Okanogan Valleys was fun and
> > brought out some good birds. Highlights include Great Gray Owl in
> > northeastern Okanogan county, and a Clay-colored Sparrow at the Camas
> > Creek Burn.
> >
> > Rainy Pass was actually Snowy Pass when we went over on Tuesday (June 6),
> > so we didn't stop to look for birds here, but it was snowing pretty good,
> > with still alot on the ground. Winter is still 'in' up in the Cascades
> > high country.
> >
> > The Methow Valley was crawling with good stuff, including Lazuli
> > Buntings, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Western Tanagers. Seems like a
> > Pewee was in every tree, and there were 10 Chipping sparrows for every
> > Pewee. Higher elevation birding at Rogers Lake did not turn up any
> > boreal species (not even a Boreal Chickadee), nor did a hike along the
> > Freezeout Ridge trail. The area seemed empty of birds except for
> > Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Townsend's Warblers, and Spotted Sandpipers. This
> > spot looks like it would be good for any of the northern Tringa
> > sandpipers, assuming they wanted to nest in our fine state.
> >
> > Okanogan Valley had several species similar to the Methow, plus
> > Bobolinks. The Great Gray Owl was seen and heard at dawn (5:00 AM) on
> > Friday (June 9) at last year's spot. Williamson's Sapsuckers were here also.
> >
> > Finally, on the way home, we stopped at the Camas Creek burn to try for
> > Black-backed Woodpecker. I really wanted to see one, so I had a 'no tree
> > left unturned' approach. We dipped on the woodpecker, but I was rewarded
> > with excellent views of a *Clay-colored Sparrow*!! For anyone who wants
> > to try for it, it was at the eastern end of the burn, about 100 feet
> > above the road (halfway up the slope), and about 100 feet from the
> > forest's edge. The time was about 5:00 PM, so it was not the least bit
> > interested in singing, but perhaps an early-morning visit would provide
> > some vocal hints as to where it was.
> >
> > Here are my notes on the Clay-colored Sparrow
> >
> > Small, clear-breasted Spizella sparrow. Prominent facial markings
> > including a white stripe above the eye (no color in the lores), a white
> > stripe below the ear patch, and a white chin leading to a very light
> > breast (sort of off-white). Behind the ear patch is a white area,
> > extending on to the nape, where it becomes very light gray. Top of head
> > and wings had similar coloration of light brown with darker streaks.
> > Feeding in flowering shrubs, occasionally perching on burned branches.
> >
> > I sketched the bird and then compared it to the guides to confirm my
> > suspicions that it was a Clay-colored. I have only seen on before, so it
> > is not my best-known species, but its markins seemed very distinct, and I
> > viewed it for a long time in good light (and at close distances) while
> > taking notes and sketching it. I am more familiar with the other
> > Spizella species, especially Brewer's and Chipping.
> >
> > Another interesting find (with fur) was a probable Columbia Ground
> > Squirrel at about 6000' near Freezeout Pass. Small patches of Artemisia
> > tridentat occur up that high (along with a few ponderosa pines) mixed in
> > with the more expected subalpine fir and engelmann spruce. We saw a
> > ground Squirrel with distinct red hues on the throat, face, chest, and
> > belly. Unfortunately, we didn't have the old collecting gun...
> >
> > Just so I don't focus on only rare species, we had robins at every stop
> > we made, from shrub-steppe to subalpine.
> >
> > -------------
> > Michael R. Smith
> > Univ. of Washington, Seattle
> > whimbrel at u.washington.edu
> > http://salmo.cqs.washington.edu/~wagap/mike.html
> >
> >
>