This afternoon Tom Burke and I spotted a breeding-plumaged male Smith's Longspur at Shawangunk Grasslands NWR in Ulster County. The bird was watched running through clumps of grass and it was flushed twice and rattled both times. While waiting for more birders to arrive, the bird disappeared and despite extensive searching could not be relocated. It was recognizably photographed. For a brief description, the bird had a black facial triangle surrounding a white cheek patch and a white supercilium. The underparts were all orange colored, as was the collar. The outer tail feathers were extensively white. Despite not being refound, the bird presumably remains there. The bird's location was northeast of the interior parking area, between that area and the bird blind closest to the Town Park. Good luck if you go, hopefully additional photos can be obtained. Gai Benson and Tom Burke.
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