Harris's Sparrow

["Utah Birds" <utahbirds at excite dot com>]

Dennis Shirley has tried to send this message to the Birdnet for several days, but it hasn't gotten through.  This is another try:

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On friday, the 26th, during the "Christmas Blizzard" of 2003, I found a Harris's Sparrow, along the Spanish Fork River, west of Springville, Utah County. It was in a mixed sparrow flock of house, song, and white-crowned sparrows, dark-eyed junco's and spotted towhee's. The spot is a little tricky to find, but the bird should be easy to see once you get there.

Take the main Springville I-15 exit and head west, like you are going to Sweed's Lane or River Lane. At the "T" intersection before the River Lane turnoff, turn left. You will be heading back to the east at this point. Take this windy road approximately a mile or so. At the first junction where a road goes right, turn right. You will now be heading west again. About a quarter mile or so you will come to a bridge over the Spanish Fork
River. Just before crossing the bridge you will see a cement silage pit on the left. This is the spot! The birds are feeding in the silage and hiding in the thick brush between the pit and the river. Just park on the side of the road and look from the vehicle. The birds were skitish and bailed into the brush at the least disturbance.

The Harris's Sparrow is a striking winter plumaged adult, with a black throat/bib, and buffy face. Hopefully it should stick around for a while. 




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