The sparrows were pretty amazing in my North Perry yard today.  I estimated
in excess of 300 birds with at least 200 white-crowneds.  Of interest there
were at least 8 adult and 3 juvenile Gambell's white-crowned sparrows.
Gambell's white-crowned sparrows are the western race of the white-crowned.
They are typically rare-uncommon in Ohio.  What was interesting about these
were they were here at my feeders first thing in the morning.  They fed
pretty much as a group.  Around 10:30 they all left.  I saw none after that,
even though I had tons of white-crowneds into the evening.  I counted 8
adults at one time.  There may have been more, but it was difficult looking
through all the sparrows.  There were three well marked (or unmarked in
their case) juveniles.



I also had a single female evening grosbeak.  It did not hang around.  Other
birds of note were 2 pine warblers, 1 orange-crowned warbler, 5-6
red-breasted nuthatches, 3 pine siskins.  I also had 4-5 white-breasted
nuthatches that appeared to be migrants.  When white-breasted nuthatches and
titmice migrate, the black-capped chickadees are not far behind.  Maybe
we'll get a big movement of them this year.  Of all the sparrows in the yard
today, 99% were either white-crowned or white-throated.  I only had 1
Lincoln's, 2 song, and 1 chipping.



I've posted some shots of the Gambell's at:
http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6889
<http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6889&PID=20801&#20801>
&PID=20801&#20801



John Pogacnik

4765 Lockwood Road

Perry, OH 44081




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