> Bonnie - The sparrow I observed had, along with the fine streaking, a deep
> buff color on the flanks, and a white belly. It did not have the central
> breast spot I associate with song sparrows, but rather small dark patches 
> on
> either side of the base of the throat. The back and outer wings had a fair
> bit of rust-color to them.
>

    The bird you are describing sounds like a swamp sparrow. Swamps can show 
fine streaking, the  absence of breast spot leans toward swamps (although 
they can show them). Buff on flanks is a good field mark for swamp also. I 
like to call it " the color of perfectly toasted marshmallow". The rust is 
usually a dead give-away. Swamps show rust/bronze/coppery wings. They often 
show a white throat which makes the patches you describe stand out. they are 
much more common in winter. Their chip note sounds very much like a phoebe.
    Lincoln's would show a buffy wash across the breast- not the flanks. The 
rust color would not jump out, neither would dark patches at the base of the 
throat.

    Bonnie
    Bonnie Ott
Howard County Field Trip Chair
Ellicott City, MD