The weather from the last couple days brought some new birds in.  I got in a 
quick hour of birdwatching (8-9am) before spending the rest of the day on a 
major bathroom repair (ugh)!  I saw 3 new yard birds for the year, plus an 
unusual Fox Sparrow.  Plus a few more goldfinches!

Drinking a cup of coffee in our living room, I watching a flock of WT sparrows 
ground foraging below a bay window.  A large dark gray sparrow joined them 
and it immediately grabbed my attention.  I did not recogize it even though it 
was only about 20 feet away.  Looking down on it, I couldn't figure out what 
it was so I grabbed my binoculars.  With binoculars it was easily recognized as 
a Fox Sparrow due to its dark but rusty rump and tail.  But from the head 
down to the middle of its back, including the shoulders, it was a uniform gray - 
like a junco.  When it turned around I saw it had rufous stripes and a breast 
spot like a normal fox sparrow, and its facial pattern was very subdued.  The 
rufous was dull in comparison the the normal bright colors of fox sparrows 
around here.  The lighting was dull and everything was wet, but still the bird 
was obviously an unusual fox sparrow...  a classic moment for "I wish I had a 
camera".  So I went to get my camcorder but the flock spooked when I 
moved, and although they came back out after I had returned, the fox 
sparrow did not.  I don't know if it stayed around or not.  This prompted me to 
get out of the house and walk around.  Later on, I looked in a field guide and 
saw that fox sparrows out west are very gray and the National Geographic 
book shows a very good likeness for what I saw.

Although I did not re-find the gray fox sparrow, I saw 3 new yard birds:  a 
Field Sparrow was feeding at the edge of the yard (uncommon for our yard), 
an Eastern Phoebe was hunting insects, and a Hairy Woodpecker was calling 
from some woods across the street.  We have a lot of woodpeckers here but 
Hairy's are uncommon for some reason.  It's time for some drumming!

Any day now, usually between late Feb and March 5, we see our first Osprey.  
Now that I made enough progress with the bathroom, I intend to enjoy 
today's sunny weather... and looking for that Osprey!

Good birding-
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD