Subject: [Tweeters] possible Timberline (Brewer's) Sparrow at Windy Gap,
Date: Sep 25 19:12:19 2006
From: Eugene and Nancy Hunn - enhunn323 at comcast.net


Tweets,

Matt Bartels, Nancy, and I set up our chairs on the Cascade Crest just north of Windy Gap on the King - Kittitas County line yesterday afternoon in hopes of some raptorous migration. We did see a dozen or so Red-tailed Hawks, four Northern Harriers, a couple of Horned Larks, a 100 Vaux's Swifts, etc., but nothing extraordinary, except for a single spizella sparrow that entertained us for quite a while foraging in a low mountain ash shrub in plain sight. We decided at the time it was a Clay-colored Sparrow as it was rather too well marked for a Brewer's and had pale lores and a complete eyering and a strong gray collar and white central crown stripe (though not particularly distinct).

On further reflection I believe it was more likely a Timberline Sparrow, currently considered a northern subspecies of Brewer's Sparrow that breeds in the subalpine shrub habitats from ec Alaska to n Alberta and BC. The Timberline Sparrow is described as intermediate in several plumage characteristics between typical Brewer's and Clay-colored Sparrows.

Timberline Sparrows have been recorded several times in eastern Washington in spring but not in fall or west of the crest, to my knowledge.

The bird we saw seemed to be "colder" in overall colorations, particularly more gray-brown on the sides and flanks, rather than the warm buff of Clay-colored, while the back streaking seemed to me to be rather dark brown on a paler ground. Also, the bill was longish and the quite dark above.

I seem to recall a detailed photo essay on Timberline Sparrows in some fairly recent issue of North American Birds or Birding. Does anyone recall when and where that might have been? Other comments appreciated also.

Gene Hunn.
18476 47th Pl. NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
enhunn323 at comcast.net