Subject: CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR at Hoquiam, WA
Date: Nov 27 17:32:45 1999
From: Bill Smith - birdman at techline.com


Thanks to a special forward from Ian Paulsen, I received the message
about the Chestnut-collared Longspur in time to quickly kiss good-bye my
computer and my poor wife, who was slaving over family dinner, so that I
could rush over to Hoquiam before dark. My insanity was well-rewarded. I
found the longspur with a Savannah Sparrow, in a bare area 0.2 mi. west of
the corner of Airport Way and Moon Island Road, between the roadway and the
sewage lagoon fence (which is only about 50 feet from the roadway). The
longspur, an unambiguous ad. male in winter plumage, with ghostly black
underparts, prominent buff face pattern, and white on the lesser wing
coverts, was quite confiding.

For anyone unfamiliar with the area coming from the east or south,
cross the Hoquiam River on US 101 and bear left towards downtown Hoquiam,
not right towards Ocean Shores and the Olympic Peninsula. That should be
6th Street. Go a few blocks and jump right one block onto 5th. Follow 5th
west. It will eventually turn into Airport Way and then come to a stop
sign at the southeast corner of the sewage lagoon. Continue straight on
Moon Island Road, with the bay on your left, the lagoon fence on your
right. I don't know where exactly the bird was found, nor how widely he
ranges, but he was 0.2 mi. beyond that intersection at dusk.

Good luck! As the Brits would say, he's a cracker!
------------------------------------------------------------
P W (Bill) Smith
Grays Harbor, Washington USA
birdman at techline.com