Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 14:25:15 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Joseph J. Halpin" Subject: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow?? Comments: cc: rhughes@usitc.gov MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit While on Port Mahon Rd on Saturday with the ANS group, we saw lots of Seaside Sparrows, but I did not hear them sing, while in the area where we saw them. As I was driving to the end of the road I heard a song, that I mistook for a Seaside Sp.. When I listened to a tape (Peterson's More Birding by Ear) this AM, I realized that what I heard was a Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Now the mystery-as I understand the description in the Sibley's and the National Geographic guides, the song I heard was of the Nelson's STS. This is consistent with the article in the April 2001 Birder, Song of the Sharp-tail, which in my mind supports eliminating the Salt-marsh STS. But the Yellow Book, pg. 44, data seems to indicate that the odds are that what is found at this location at this time of year is the Saltmarsh STS. Could it be a Nelson's? Joe Halpin Silver Spring, MD halpinj @juno.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================