Tweeters,

I have never before seen a white-throated sparrow and have not paid too
much attention when they are mentioned in bird lists or rare bird
posts. A week ago a sparrow that I could not identify appeared under my
feeder. I tried to remember its field marks and looked through the National
Geographic guide for a match. Couldn't do it.

On Friday, January 19th, I read Steve Herman's post about the white-throated
sparrow eaten by a sharp-shinned hawk some 30 plus years ago. Pretty amusing.
I had just finished taking extensive notes on the markings on the sparrow as
it sat on the ground in my garden eating seeds. Using the Peterson field
guide and my improved notes on field marks, I was able to determine that the
bird is a white-throated sparrow. The Peterson's guide shows them wintering
all along the west coast from southern California to the Olympic Peninsula.
I will take greater interest in this species now.

Kelly McAllister