Birders,
Today, Oct 25, we found a probable eastern race (iliaca) of Fox Sparrow
on Bateman Island, Richland WA. I post because there is some talk of
splitting Fox Sparrows. Discussion welcome.

Description: Very rusty, particularly the Gr wing coverts, primarys, rump
,tail, ear coverts and breast spots/chevrons. The head had a good pattern
with
rufous on top & a gray "eyebrow" & nape. The back was speckled rufous
& gray. The throat had a small, bright white patch. The entire lower
mandible
was bright yellow & even the base of the upper mandible was yellow.
The bill did not seem to be large. The head seemed more flat than round.
It was definitely larger than the nearby White-crowned Sparrows.

We observed the bird at a feeder station we have set up on Bateman Island.
We were 20 feet away in our portable photo blind. We watched it for at
least
15 minutes. There has been a "normal" Fox Sparrow coming to this feeder,
but we did not see them together. The bird was on the ground scratching
with
both feet.

Similar Species: I kept saying why isn't this a Song Sparrow, but the large
size,
rufous ear coverts, & the large breast chevrons ruled out Song Sp.
Not a Hermit Thrush, although the tail was the right color, because the bill
was
conical & the back was pattered.

Familiarity: Basically not familiar with eastern Fox Sparrows, but I've
never seen this
race before in Oregon or Washington.

By the way, in the last two months, this location has produced two
Chestnut-sided
Warblers, one Blackpoll & one Black-throated Blue Warbler! All within 200
feet.
Now where is that Brambling!

Good Birding,
Craig
Craig Corder & Judy Stevens
Hermiston, Oregon, USA
Umatilla County in north/central/eastern Oregon
ccorder at eoni.com