In a message dated 96-01-01 10:17:50 EST, Grant Hendrickson writes:

>I would be very interested in the location of the Swamp Sparrows. As a new
>resident in Issaquah, I'd be interested in any other special spots at the
>park and in the surrounding areas.
>
>

Hi Grant -- Welcome to Issaquah!

Since there were some requests for finding the swamp sparrows at Lake
Sammamish State Park (LSST), I'll post this for local *tweets* as well.
Easiest (=closest) access would be west off East Lake Sammamish Parkway to
the boat launching ramp. As you are driving along the short entrance road
there, you will see a large DECEPTIVELY GRASSY field to the south. Grassy,
yes and thick; deceptively, definitely(!) in that much of the area is
totally water logged as in half way to your knees and deeper in many places
you least expect it. If you go into the field from here, it helps to be part
duck, rail, and marsh wren, ...and a little bit of snipe wouldn't hurt
either.

The first swamp sparrow (darker) is in the exact same small clump of willows
about 200 slogging paces south of the entrance road. I suspect this one may
even be the same individual as was there two winters ago. To make this (spot
at least) way too easy, I've tied a bright orange ribbon on one of the
willows on the east edge of the clump which is visible from the road. If the
bird is not there, it may be in a similar clump of willows just to the west.
There are other isolated clumps in there just as good, but the bird seems to
favor the two mentioned. This one is a real skulker, usually requires
'pishing,' being fast with the binos, and apparently luck. About half the
time, I don't find it at all, but this is probably more out of impatience
than anything else.

The second bird (lighter, brighter, & quite handsome) is about 200 paces
further across the the field to the SW to where a little foot wide ditch runs
west along a line of brush from East Lake Sammamish Parkway to Lake
Sammamish, and seems to be more cooperative. I've tied another orange ribbon
at this swamp sparrow site as well. Just scan to the SW from the south side
of the first site and / or follow the broken down line of fence posts toward
the ditch and lake. There were two tree sparrows at this same spot in Dec.
1994. This entire area is among the most perfect and classic swamp sparrow
habitat anywhere! The slog back toward the east along the ditch and toward
the Sieman's Building and Parkway can be quite good for assorted sparrows and
other marsh birds at times.

Neither swamp sparrow seems to associate with other sparrows in there much.
Song sparrows are by far the dominant species. The swamp sparrows were first
seen on 12/16 and I found both again this afternoon, 01/02.

I find the latter area easier to access from the south, albiet a much much
longer but DRYER walk. You'd have to park and enter from the main park area
off West Sammamish Road, get your bearings and find your own way over there.
I can't even begin to describe it, but it is probably about two miles round
trip on foot, whereas from the north (boat launch), it's only maybe 200 or
300 slow & at times difficult paces. I usually do it from the dryer south
just for the exercise, and LSSP is close for me and a good place to just go
for a walk and wake up in the morning. I have some regular loop routes I
follow for consistency -- the short one, the medium one, the long one, and
the 'death march.' High water along the lake shore and fallen trees has kind
of messed up my routes somewhat this winter, not to mention those wretched
blackberry / salmonberry thickets to negotiate. Actually, getting there
today from the boat launch wasn't as bad as it was two weeks ago, with the
walk from the first site to the second being more like damp rather than water
logged.

If all this sounds like too much trouble, then there are several other spots
around locally especially Kent Valley / Kent Ponds -- one of the best sparrow
spots in the Seattle area & easily accessable with minimal effort. I haven't
heard much about swamp sparrows this winter or else they just aren't making
the news like they did in '94.

Grant, I'll send you some other tips by personal email or you can call me.

Richard Rowlett <pagodroma at aol.com>
Bellevue, WA, USA
(206) 865-0276