At 08:27 AM 7/21/97 -0700, you wrote:
>it popped back out again, I saw a buffy band across a streaked
>breast, with the buff wash appearing to drift down the flanks as well. It
>strongly reminded me of the buffy breast of a Lincoln's Sparrow and with
>that I noticed there was no eye ring -- but before I could really look at
>the facial markings, it was gone

I'm back in Fort McMurray again and the first sparrows I've come across in
any numbers are Clay-coloured. One of my earlier sightings was of a bird
with the buffy breast band and no eye-ring. My first thought, too, was
Lincoln's but I've seen enough of them now to know they are Clay-coloured.
Can't say I've noticed the tail contrast you mention but I'll take a look
at some of the birds up here tonight.


Eric Greenwood
Senior Consultant
IntraNet Resource Group
Vancouver, B.C.
egreenw at IntraNet.bc.ca