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From: grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Freaky Song Sparrows in Western Washington???
Keywords: HELP!
Message-ID: <1991May14.090139@Unify.com>
Date: 14 May 91 16:01:39 GMT
References: <72187@microsoft.UUCP>
Sender: news@Unify.Com (news admin)
Reply-To: grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello)
Organization: Unify Corporation, Sacramento, CA, USA
Lines: 40

In article <72187@microsoft.UUCP>, cindyri@microsoft.UUCP (Cynthia RISKIN)
writes:
> 
> Location:  Whidbey Island in western Washington state
> Habitat:  low grasses next to marsh (probably salt water)
> across the street from Puget Sound
> Behavior:  territorial; obviously nesting in grass
> Description:  Sparrowlike; mottled brown back (sparrowlike; surprise), 
> much yellow (ochre, really), brown eyeline, brown and yellow
> stripes on head, brown whiskers, EVERY SO SLIGHTLY CRESTED
> ; no strong wing bars; possible
> white in tail, but no strong markings; breast WHITE with 
> a few brown or black streaks at the top and sides, but not
> a lot and A BLACK CENTRAL SPOT in a white field (didn't look
> stripey with dark spot like song sparrow)
> Song:  Song sparrow-like, but shorter and somewhat buzzier.
> 
> Is this one of the plethora of song sparrow varieties 
> in the Pacific NW, or is it possibly a flock of bizarrely
> light-colored sage sparrows nesting far west of their range?

This sounds like a Savannah Sparrow.  They are quite yellowish about the head,
and often sport a slight crest.  They are found in grasses as you describe.
The song of a Savannah Sparrow matches your description too, and is sometimes
described as sounding like "I'm a Savaaaaaaanah" with the accent on the aaa's.

Graphically, it would look something like: 

I'm a sa vaaaaaaaa nah
 -  _ _  ~~~~~~~~~ _

(uh-oh, ascii sonagrams!)

  > > Any ideas?

--

---
Greg Pasquariello	grp@unify.com
Unify Corporation 	Be good and never poison people