Hi all, After exchanging a few emails with Bill Whan, and listening to a few more recordings of Lapland and Smith's longspurs via http://macaulaylibrary.org/, it looks like (1) "buffy" Laplands do occur in Ohio this time of year, and (2) Laplands can also make vocalizations like those I heard at Deer Creek yesterday. Compare, for example, Smith's: http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/flashPlayer.do?id=131481 Lapland: http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/flashPlayer.do?id=107239 Given that I was unable to get great looks at the birds (especially the belly color and other details), I can't rule out Lapland or Smith's Longspurs so I think the "official" ID is going to have to be "C. lapponicus/pictus." Good birding, Paul Hurtado PS: I wrote up a quick report using the OOS rare bird report form that basically concludes "Lapland or Smith's Longspurs." I'll therefore probably not bother turning it in to the records committee, but if anyone wants to have a look I'd be glad to send a copy via email (just contact me off-list). ______________________________________________________________________ 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]