On November 26, traveling west on Bespitch Ferry Road after crossing the Bespitch Ferry Bridge and about 600 ft from the entrance to the new public boat launch area, we stopped to observe bird activity on the north side of the road. A few sparrows had flown from the grassy area next to the road up into the phragmites / cattails on the other side of the ditch that runs along the road. I got out of the car and put my binoculars on a sparrow that flew from the phragmites / cattails to a small tree branch. I immediately noticed it was a relatively small sparrow with orange on the flanks, a contrasting white breast, orange-ish face, mostly brownish overall. I do not remember streaks on the chest or flanks, but it must have had them.  With only a quick look and too much inexperience identifying sparrows, that's all I have for field marks that has stuck with me. It reminded me of the Nelson's Sparrow I had recently seen in Howard County. The sparrow flew back down into the phragmites / cattails and we did not see it again. I do not know if the water in that ditch is fresh or brackish.

I checked the possibilities of sparrows with orange flanks and also sparrows in eBird that had been seen in Dorchester county. 

Ammodramus savannarum - Grasshopper sparrow  (seen in October) (habitat - open grasslands) - wrong habitat

Ammodramus leconteii - Le Conte's Sparrow (habitat - wet grasslands and grassy meadows - or a marsh in the middle of a cornfield in Harford County)

Ammodramus nelsoni - Nelson's Sparrow (seen in October) (habitat - edges of freshwater marshes and in wet meadows of interior North America, and in salt marshes along the northern Atlantic Coast)

Ammodramus caudacutus - Saltmarsh sparrow (seen in November) (habitat - salt marshes)

Ammodramus maritimus - Seaside Sparrow (seen in November) (habitat - salt marshes) - too drab

Melospiza lincolnii - Lincoln's Sparrow  (seen in November) (habitat - boggy areas)

I'm not sure what I saw, I believe it probably was Ammodramus sp. I am providing the information for anyone traveling Bestpitch Ferry Road and stopping in the general area. If you've been there and seen a similiarly looking sparrow, please let me know offline.

Marcy Stutzman
Russett, MD


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