[Birdnet] Chestnut-collared Longspur

[Tim Avery]

Thanks to Bryan for the phone call this afternoon.  I was able to get a hold of the Sommerfeld's and make our way up.  As Bryan mentioned, the bad news was the bird was gone.  We spent about 1.5-2 hours searching in the area where the bird was seen without locating the bird.  We decided to head towards Glover's Lan e as the bird was last seen flying out to the NW around Egg Island. So along with the Sommerfeld's, Paul Higgins, and Laren Wyss, we headed that way.  We drove to the turnaround at the north end of the ponds and headed back south along the pond at Glover's Lane, when the bird literally flew up right in front of the car, over the top and behind us.  Thankfully it was an overly cooperative bird and we were all abel to watch it until it was dark.  Pat Jividen showed up a few minutes afterwards and was able to see the bird as well.  The bird let us approach and view it from within 20 feet.  When it did fly it called a couple times giving a 3 note rattle.  As Bryan mentioned the bird appeared to be in a transitional plumage.  I assumed it was starting to moult back into breeding/alternate plumage, as the Laplands seen last January were already moulting at that time.  In any event, it didn't look excalty like anything in Sibley, but had enough field marks, including the dark feathering on the belly to help it stand out.  We were also able to see the bird fly directly overhead showing the tail with large white patches on each side, and a white undertail, which contrasted sharply with the balsh central tail feathers.

Unfortunately, I was out and about when I got the call form Bryan, so I didn;t have any optics or camera equipment... Luckily Paul Higgins was able to get some amazing shots of the bird, and was kind enough to let me shoot a couple for my big year. THANKS PAUL!  And thanks again to Bryan, and thanks to the Sommerfeld's for the ride... I feel like a leech.

Good Birding

Tim
Salt Lake City, Utah
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: bryan at bshirleybirding.com 
  To: birdnet at utahbirds.org 
  Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 5:47 PM
  Subject: [Birdnet] Chestnut-collared Longspur


  Santa came early this year and delivered a Chestnut-collared Longspur to
  Farmington Bay today.  I found it about 2 PM on the road about 100 yards south
  of the gate at Egg Island.

  I didn't notice it on my way into Farmington Bay, but on the way out it
  flew up off the road and the white tail feathers caught my attention.
  At first I was thinking McCown's, but when I finally got back on the 
  south side of the bird where the light was better it was a Chestnut-collared.

  It looks like a male in transition plumage.  Closer to winter, but it still has a mostly black belly.  
  It also has a bit of chestnut color mixed with the black on the breast.  Sibly doesn't
  show that, but the National Geographic guide shows breeding males with either black
  or with chestnut breasts.  At first I didn't notice it, but at close range it does have
  a few chestnut-tinged feathers in the collar as well.

  Now for the bad news.  As soon as I found it I called Tim Avery & Glenn Barlow to 
  get the word out.  I watched the bird for probably 45 minutes.  I lot of trucks came
  by and spooked it, but normally it would just circle and land back in the same place.
  A few times it landed on the south slope of egg island, but it would always come back 
  to the road.  Just before Glenn arrived a truck came and the bird flew west around 
  to the west side of egg island and out of sight.  Last time I heard nobody had
  been able to relocate the bird.

  I took a bunch of pictures but haven't even looked at them yet. 

  Bryan Shirley


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