Hello Tweeters and INBirders,
Today I birded Colockum Road with Fred Boesche, mainly just to see
what the road conditions are like up top. We made a couple of stops on the
way over, including a stop at the road to Stampede Pass where we had a pair
of WOOD DUCKS and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, along with various passerines
including YELLOW-RUMPED and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.
We started heading up Colockum Road at about 10:00 a.m. Had a male
BARN OWL in the barn at the intersection of Colockum and Erickson Roads.
Driving up Colockum, we spooked a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE near the last house on
the right. We saw some more activety here so pulled over and I quickly got a
good look at an adult alternate plumaged CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. A slim sparrow
with a long tail. During the initial view, I got good looks at the dark
crown, white median crown-stripe, obvious moustachial and lateral throat
stripes, white malar, gray nape, buff wash on underparts, and as it flew back
into the brush the brown rump was apparent. It appeared roughly the same size
as the CHIPPING SPARROWS nearby and much smaller than the White-crowneds it
was also with. The bill could have been smaller, but I wasn't able to confirm
that mark. I do believe this is a county first. From the beginning of
Colockum Road NE of Ellensburg, you go north on Colockum about 3 miles (past
where the road turns to gravel). There is a house on the right which has
feeders (they were empty yesterday), and lots of willows and other bushes
making for great habitat. The area is just before the first Ponderosa Pines.
I saw the bird in the bushes along Trail Creek, just behind the left-most
patch of daffodils. Hope somebody is able to relocate the bird this weekend.
Other good birds here were a singing "Slate-colored" FOX SPARROW and newly
arrived HOUSE WREN.
After searching for a good 30 minutes in vain for the Clay-colored
Sparrow, we continued up Colockum Road. Had a singing NASHVILLE WARBLER and
an early (?) DUSKY FLYCATCHER at the campground. We made it up about 5 miles
from the pass before being forced to turn around because of snow drifts.
Nothing else notable during the day, save 2 male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRDS just
past where we had the sparrow earlier. I've probably left a lot of things
out, but that's all I can think of for now. Good birding.

Charlie Wright
Birdking88 at aol.com
Sumner, WA