The enigmatic small longspur with the curious call was still at
the South Jetty of the Columbia River. It allowed several fairly
decent looks today. It does have a fairly well defined faced patch
formed from the eyeline, auricular and the moustache. There is a
pale brown malar stripe. The crown is buff with dark, heavy streaking
and a median buff stripe that goes from just before mid-crown to the
nape.

It has a fairly obvious white wing patch and a second whitish wingbar.
Most interesting is the striking, yellow longitudinal stripes down
the back (think juvenile Least Sandpiper.)

Most of the field guides seem down right contradictory about which
field marks are which. However, the majority of field marks suggests
that this is very likely to be a SMITH'S LONGSPUR. I base this on
the degree of definition in the face pattern, the back pattern, the
presence and of a wing patch and wingbar and the overall buff of the
face, breast and belly.

I left Harry Nehls and Tim Jantzen at the SJCR trying to obtain
photographs.

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
mpatters at orednet.org