Subject: Swamp Sparrows
Date: Jan 19 22:25:13 2003
From: washingtonbirder. Knittle - washingtonbirder at hotmail.com


Just going through the Swamp Sparrow records tonight I noticed some glareing
holes. Having just seen 2 of them yesterday at Ridgefield NWR and seeing
several other reports this winter, it just might be the year to find them in
counties where they have never been seen before. Here is a list where I do
not know of any records: Columbia Co., Ferry Co., Island Co., Lincoln Co.,
Skamania Co., and Whitman Co.

Here's some ideas in those counties where I think it might be the place to
find a Swamp Sparrow.

Skamania---along the river below the town of Skamania in tall wet grass.

Island---Swantown around the edges of the wetlands. Also just as you drive
onto Camano Island from Stanwood.

Columbia---within a mile of the mouth of the Tucannon River in tall wet
grass.

Whitman---somewhere along the edge of the Snake River where brush and grass
and wet areas come together.

Lincoln and Ferry---nothing jumps into my brain of where I would start to
look during the middle of winter like it is. Perhaps Sprague Lake for
Lincoln might be possible, but something just doesn't seem right for the
proper niche and habitat. Both these counties stand a better chance in Oct.
before everything freezes up. In Ferry Co. the grassy areas of Butler Flats
before freeze up might be the place to check.

If there are records out there in the above counties I would appreciate
knowing about it.

Ken Knittle, Vancouver, WA
washingtonbirder at hotmail.com





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