[GMcD]

Good additions Randy. All is well in my 'hood. All the birding I've been doing are of birds already on the list so I haven't had any new birds to add to the list. Here are a few of the recents from the last couple of weeks in my area:

Anna's Hummingbird by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Anna's Hummingbird by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Great Blue Heron by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Great Blue Heron by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Cooper's hawk by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Northern Harrier by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Long Billed Dowitcher by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[GMcD]

Well, that was serendipitous- the weather app indicated clouds for this morning, but the clear dawn caused me to quickly adjust and head back out to the West Dyke path in Richmond. A male Northern Harrier has been hanging around and I hoped to get some better shots if it came by. All the other distractions were along the dyke - a Merlin being chased by a Harrier, a Harrier bugging a Coyote way out there, Eagle fly-by scaring up a small flock of Snow Geese, and a few Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrows flitting about.

I was waiting for some sparrows to occupy one of the nice perches in the morning light and saw a lighter coloured sparrow perch on another stick in the reeds. Thought it was a Lincoln's Sparrow, but on closer examination, oooh, neat - a Clay Coloured Sparrow! A new to me sparrow and apparently a rare bird for this area. Well, now we can add the Clay Coloured Sparrow to the list:

Clay Coloured Sparrow by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Clay Coloured Sparrow by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Clay Coloured Sparrow by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[NewWestBirder]

I don't know how to delete a post in this forum so will just confirm that an earlier post of mine, of a Juvenile Lark Sparrow, is an incorrect identification, and its only a Savannah Sparrow. My bad!

[NewWestBirder]

GMcD: what a great find...i.e. the Clay Colored Sparrow. Congrats on some nice shots on a bird we don't see posted that often (ever?)