Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2014-027
| Common name: |
Nelson's Sparrow |
| Scientific name: | Ammodramus nelsoni |
| Date: | 9-29-2014 |
| Time: | Around 12pm |
| Length of time observed: | 1 hour |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Farmington Bay WFMA |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 4215ft |
| Distance to bird: | 3m |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 10x50 Binoculars |
| Weather: | Mostly sunny-70F |
| Light Conditions: | Excellent |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small sparrow-5inches |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Short tailed sparrow |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Yellow, gray and brown |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Short,conical sparrow like bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Ammodramus sparrow popped up into cattails, Gray cheeks patch,gray median crown
strip and gray patch on the sides of the neck, plus the yellow breast and throat
with faint gray streaking in the flanks and breast made adult Nelson's the only
option. Very distinctive. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | I heard it make a thin,high pitched tseet a few times,similar to a Grasshopper sparrows, but mostly silent. |
| Behavior: | At first it flushed from the tall grass on the side of a road, then perch high in cattails giving me great looks for a few minutes, then disappeared into the cattails and hid. Relocated about 1/2 hour later, again perching high in cattails and bullrush, before disappearing again into the marsh vegetation. |
| Habitat: | Large freshwater wetland complex on the east side of the Great Salt Lake, seemed to favor tall Cattails and Bullrush, but also seen in tall grass. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Le Conte's Sparrow lacks a gray crown and neck patch Baird's Sparrow also lacks gray, has a pale belly and black streaking on face and breast Saltmarsh Sparrow has a paler throat and breast, with darker black streaking on breast Grasshopper Sparrow is uniform pale yellow below, with no gray in the neck or cheeks |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
None-lifer |
| References consulted: | 'Audubon Guides: Birds' app,'iBird Pro' app, 'Sibley Guide to Birds':D.A. Sibley 2014 |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 688 East 700 South #105, SLC, UT 84102 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Shyloh Robinson, Matthew Pendleton, and several others |
| Date prepared: | 9-29-2014 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: |