[Birdtalk] Horned Lark associat

[Bryant Olsen]

This report is in response to Tim's request to report any unusual sightings. Today I went to Desert Ranch just south of Woodruff Utah looking for raptors. It was pretty dead, only 1 Golden Eagle, 6 Bald Eagles, all at the Ranch House, and 3 Rough-legged Hawk, including a dark morph, but I did see an unusual bird mixed in with some Horned Larks. It was smaller than the Larks, and had a rufus crown stripe and rufus cheek patches, kinda like a Vesper Sparrow. I only got a mili-second look at it before the whole flock flushed and flew south, and it was getting dark too. Of course the first thing that popped into my mind was McCowns or Chesnut-Collared Longspur, but that may just be wishful thinking. Like I said, I only got a very brief look at the bird so I can't positively ID it. So my question is,do Vesper
 Sparrows hang out with Horned Larks very much? They were just west of
 the intersection were the road coming from Woodruff meets the road going to the main ranch house.
Good Birding
Bryant Olsen



      
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