Greetings, 

This evening, a quick stop at the west side of fenced-in Dike 14, at Gordon Marina, I found a load of sparrows, including a single CLAY-COLORED. The flock was massive, and spent the majority of the time feeding on the large open grassy lawn. Only disturbed when a Cooper's Hawk would dive bomb occasionally (did successfully take a Song Sparrow). 

I have never before witnessed this large of a flock of Field Sparrows. Some birds gave point blank looks from 15 feet away on the fence. At one point, on the fence alone, I had 30 Fields in the same view. With another 15 teed up in a tree a short distance away. 

Between the birds creeping low on the lawn, flushing to trees and to the fence, it was difficult to relocate the Clay-colored, of which I had two brief views (ground once, tree once).

At least 5 of the juncos appeared to have some mix of western-origin blood. Perhaps the intergrade "Cassiar" type. 

The run-down:
Dark-eyed Junco: 180
Field Sparrow: 120
American Tree Sparrow: 3
Song Sparrow: 45
Chipping Sparrow: 40
White-throated Sparrow: 5

Interestingly enough, no Swamp or White-crowned in this mix. Quite odd. 



JB

Jen Brumfield
Cleveland, OH
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