I finally got a chance to try for the LeConte's Sparrows at Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area today. When I got there a bit before 1:00, I ran into a group of 4 birders from Springfield who had been searching for 3 hours with no success. Discouraged, I decided to give it a try anyways. Not 20 minutes after I left the group, I was looking at a LECONTE'S SPARROW. That's just how it goes sometimes. I only saw one LeConte's, but in the same area (that which Bill Whan described in an earlier post), I spotted a NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW. I got good looks at both species, but had great difficulty seeing them perched for any length of time. Top off the short trip with some Sandhill Cranes calling in the distance and a few Wilson's Snipe in the wet area adjacent to the sparrow spot, it was a great afternoon trip. Just a tip: if you go, bring your mud boots. It's really wet out there. Good birding, John -- John Kuenzli Columbus, OH ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]