ML41765901

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Scanning through about 90 Horned Larks on Township Road, southern Klamath County, Dave Haupt and I observed a McCOWN'S LONGSPUR. It was seen in a plowed field on the north side of the road, about a half mile from the Straits Drain bridge (which has galvanized railing). That plowed field appeared to have been plowed more recently than the larger plowed field on the south side. There were numerous quite pale Horned Larks in the Flock, but this bird was much paler, had a pale broad supercillium which captured the dark eye; had a dull dark band across its upper breast, and the band was not solid in color, but appeared scaley with buffy diffuse coloration within the band. Its tail had white on its outer retrices, but appeared to have more extensive white about mid-tail, unlike Lapland, which has uniform white more or less and is narrow all along the outer tail feathers. Although we did not get a great look at any rusty coloration on its upper wing, we did notice a dark string or blackish line of feathers along the outer scapulars, or they have been in the upper wing area. Its bill appeared to be a bit shorter, but may have appeared so as it had a broader base to its bill and did not seem as pointy and narrow as the associated Horned Larks. Photos were taken, and some show supporting fieldmarks to a likely first winter male. When the flock picked up and flew, and over us at one point, Dave heard several single notes of the bird, and I heard a few short rattle calls, unlike Lapland calls, but those had to be sorted out of a vocal Horned Lark flock, so nothing definitive or of use for positive confirmation. It's been awhile, maybe 8 years since the the last report of one in Klamath Co.

Technical information

Dimensions

369 pixels x 285 pixels

Original file size

14.63 KB