Date:         Sat, 20 Apr 2002 22:26:48 -0400
Reply-To:     Michael Bender <mbender78@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Michael Bender <mbender78@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Lapland Longspur/Harris's Sparrow query

Can someone help me with late spring dates for Lapland Longspur
on the coast and/or whether and when there are records for Harris's
Sparrow on the coast?

I saw a very striking sparrow-esque bird at Andrews Island Friday Apr.
19th in the morning (in the area along the channel through the gate to
the right almost immediately after entering from 341 -the gate is just
opposite the shipyard).  The bird had black on the throat and I think the
forehead (looked like this was molting in because it was rather spotty)
and had a bill that contrasted very sharply with the black -in my notes I
have it down as yellow.  Other thing quite striking was the size
-smaller but not much than the two female red-winged blackbirds that
it shared a bush with at one point so if it is a sparrow it is quite large.
Also noted a fairly white underside to the bird.  Got good enough looks
to be quite sure it was not a house sparrow.  There were Savannah
sparrows in the grass and marsh plants but this bird was quite
distinct from them as well.

The bird kept low in the trees along the left side of the lane and then
moved to the short trees and shrubs at the edge of the marsh at the
end of the lane -this doesn't seem very characteristic of a longspur
from my experience with them in Indiana in the winter.  It may have
started on the ground, however -I first noticed it flying into the low
branches.

Help with dates for the birds mentioned above would be welcome -or
any thoughts about large black chinned birds that I should consider as
an alternative -off-list response is fine.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Michael Bender
Athens, GA