Yup, once again there is a singing Clay-colored Sparrow in the "cheese
factory clearcut" in northeast Lacey (see directions below.) He is hanging
out in the northeast corner of the cut, singing repeatedly from tall Scots
Broom bushes. This morning, he was being continually harassed by a
White-crowned Sparrow. Two Vesper Sparrows, several Chipping Sparrows and
many white-crowns were in the same area. The loud 'bzzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzzz'
of the Clay-colored carries well, but spotting him can be tricky, since he
tends to perch just below the top of the bushes. He's pretty tame - I
approached to within twenty feet.

I heard two Lazuli Buntings on the walk in, but neither could be seen over
the tall broom. (Anyone make a periscope attachment for binoculars?)

Directions:

Take the Marvin Road exit from I-5 (exit 111, just east of Lacey.) Turn
right (north) and then turn right again immediately, at the Country
Junction restaurant. Follow this road (Hogum Bay Road) on north, past the
Thurston County landfill to the Olympia Cheese Factory, which will be on
the left hand side of the road (less than a mile). The main road turns
right, but you want to continue straight on the smaller road and park near
the clearcut entrance just past the factory. I always park here and walk
in. The bird is in the northeast corner - walk north on the main road and
hang a right at the tree line.

Eric Kraig
Olympia, WA
kraig at wln.com