Date:         Fri, 10 Dec 2004 22:10:29 -0500
Reply-To:     Georgann Schmalz <g.schmalz@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Georgann Schmalz <g.schmalz@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Lark Sparrows
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hello all,



Jim and I took a quick ride up to Resaca (Gordon Co.) this morning in search
of HORNED LARKS on Fite Bend Road off Hwy 136 at I-75.  The fields were
quite wet from all the rain and we did not find any Larks despite searching
every square foot of the plowed fields.  And there are a lot of plowed
fields along this little dead end road!



But we did find many KILLDEER, 30+ AMERICAN PIPITS, 16 EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVES, and five LARK SPARROWS.



The LARK SPARROWS were all first-winter birds, with dull head patterns.  Two
were showing just a tinge of chestnut on the cheeks (ear coverts).  The
white submoustachial stripe and prominent black malar stripe were strong
with a white and a black spot beginning to appear behind the ear coverts on
all the birds.  As they walked around foraging in the corn stubble grassy
field, we could see white in the outer tail feathers.



Thanks to Joshua Spence for directions to the fields.  But where did you put
those 25 Horned Larks?



NOTE email change for me   g.schmalz@comcast.net



Later,

Georgann



Georgann Schmalz

Atlanta GA, DeKalb Co.

Director of Communications

Atlanta Audubon Society

Ornithologist, Birding Adventures, Inc.

www.birdingadventuresinc.com

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