The Lark Sparrow continues along the northern edge of Field 2. Last night around 6:30 pm I found it a little more than halfway from the toll booths to the northeast corner. This morning around 7:15, with Patricia Lindsay, we found it at the extreme northeast corner. Flushed by an exiting vehicle, we were unable to re-find it. Much later, during my routine scraping of the area, I chanced upon it at the extreme northwest corner of the lot.
I think it is a hatching-year bird based on its generally neat appearance (the only adults I have ever confidently seen on LI have been ragged-looking, molting flight feathers) and based on the retention of a few small dark streaks on its breast sides (retained from juv plumage): https://picasaweb.google.com/109808209543611018404/LongIslandMiscellany2014#6045206385380226930 It is my belief that even when such marks are not retained or discernible, the vast majority of our Long Island Lark Sparrows are birds of the year, but this bird's very early arrival date was at least suggestive of an adult. Shai Mitra Bay Shore ________________________________________ Ken Feustel [[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2014 9:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [nysbirds-l] Lark Sparrow at Robert Moses S.P. (Suffolk) At 8:30AM a Lark Sparrow was found on the north side of RMSP Field 2, east of main entrance. Last observed along fence line at east end of Field 2, south of entrance to volleyball courts. Sent from my iPhone -- ________________________________ CSI Represents NY in Nationwide State Rankings. Learn more>>><http://csitoday.com/2014/04/csi-represents-ny-in-nationwide-state-rankings/> -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
