I was able to observe the Golden-crowned sparrow this afternoon for about an 
hour, from 12:30 to 1:30.  The bird stayed under the same pokeweed referred 
to by Walter below.  It occasionally came out in the open and posed for 
photos.  It did chase away both juvenile white-crowned sparrows and an adult 
white-throated sparrow while I was there.  It came out from under the 
pokeweek 5 to 6 times while I was there.  I never saw it more than 10 feet 
from the pokeweed bush.  Thanks to everyone who has posted about this bird. 
I have seen one before in Colorado but it was a long time ago.  Photos 
posted a short while ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22207425@N05/5281203995/

I also found the rough-legged hawk almost exactly where Walter mentioned, 
but it was quite a distance away.  It was located at 1:50 pm and was still 
flying over the grain elevators.

Dave Palmer
Easton, MD





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nancy Martin" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 12:59 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Kent County Golden-crowned Sparrow present & 
Rough-legged Hawk continues


> Hi All,
>
> Nancy and I finally were able to go down to Chesapeake Farms to look for 
> The Sparrow this morning. Several others were present on site when we 
> arrived including Jim Green, Helen Patton, and Joe Hanfman. It took a bit 
> of waiting but the bird showed up around 9:15 with four White-crowns and a 
> White-throat next to the yellowed pokeweed in the hedgerow about 50 to 100 
> feet south of the break in the honeysuckle hedge. I expect it may wander 
> up and down the hedgerow quite a bit as it arrived from the south whence 
> we first heard its calls. As Bill Hubick wrote the contact call note is 
> distinctive. I'd place its quality somewhere between Swamp Sparrow and 
> Hooded Warbler, musical, quick offset, not as weak and high-pitched as 
> White-crown.
>
> The Rough-legged Hawk found by Jim Gruber on Sunday on Reese's Corner Road 
> also continues. It's a light morph young female with light breast and 
> head, dark belly, and a white tail with a broad dark terminal band. Joe 
> Hanfman told us it was still there and Nancy and I saw it kiting and 
> hovering north of the road at 9:45. The hawk is hunting a field just east 
> of the sheep pastures at the west (MD-445) end of the road behind and 
> around some big grain elevators on the north side.
>
> Good birding,
>
> Walter Ellison
>
> Observing Nature is like unwrapping a big pile of presents every time you 
> take a walk.