With a free day yesterday I spent the morning, before the heavy rain,
puttering around the Elliott Island marshes in a small johnboat and on foot. I
encountered amazing concentrations of both Sharp-tailed Sparrows and Seaside
Sparrows. In one spot, near the edge of a tidal pond, one could turn 360 degrees and
see the tall Spartina grass festooned with sparrows as if they had been hung
as ornaments. They seemed as curious about me as I was about them; with each
step I took, more would pop up, perching with that spread-legged,
grass-straddling thing that they do. Spishing was unnecessary, but a single squeak or spish
would bring birds incredibly close, sometimes too close to focus. I would
estimate that within a 50-foot circle there were at least 20 SALTMARSH
SHARP-TAILED, 3 NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED, 8 SEASIDE and 2 SWAMP. Two of the Nelson's seemed
to be of the James Bay form: small bill, pale and bright overall with bright
white braces on the back, and a solid ochre breastband with fine but distinct
streaks. There was also at least one of the maritime form, dark and dingy,
without the white braces and with limited dull orange on the face, and a longer
bill. It was a treat to have the two Sharp-tailed species perched side by side
like plates in a field guide, where the plumage differences were striking. I
have to thank Jim Stasz for once giving me a field ID primer on separating these
birds.
Other spots in the marsh had lower densities, but still high numbers, in
pretty much the same ratios. No Le Conte's were seen but I bet they were out
there. MARSH WRENS were also present and conspicuous wherever there were sparrows.
Whether this was a fallout of migrants or simply birds of the wintering
population that were behaving more conspicuously because of the calm, overcast,
pre-storm conditions, it was quite a memorable experience.
Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD
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