Tweeters,

This afternoon on the Arboretum waterfront trail, I saw what I think was an
American Tree Sparrow. Never having seen one before, I'd like to know how
likely an ID this was, or what else it might have been.

The bird was about the size and build of a song sparrow. Its color was
generally pale buff, with a light gray head and throat. It had a brown
eyestripe, light eyebrow line, and a brownish crown framed by darker brown.
There were two thin brown stripes down the scapulars on each side. The
inner edges of the folded wings (tertials?) had black feathers outlined in
white, and there were two white wing bars. Back and rump were clear. The
tail had thin white edges. The breast was clear, very pale buff, in contrast
to the gray throat, and there was a smallish central spot. It was feeding on
the path near the arboretum end of the trail. It generally matches the
illustrations in the Peterson's and National Geographic guides, but is maybe
somewhat paler.

I was able to oberve the bird from about 25 feet for a couple of minutes,
until it was flushed into the shrubbery by a flock of small children. A
two-tone bill probably would have cinched it, but all I noted was that it was
rather muddy.

Has anyone else seen this bird, or have an opinion as to its identity?

thanks,

Dave Brodeur
Mapleleaf, Seattle