Birders, I want to thank all who responded to my inquiry on this subject. Below, I have posted a summary of what I found out from the three chat groups I asked this question. If there is no objection, I would like to also post this summary to the Michigan chat group so that perhaps we can start finding this species here too!
Finding Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) is listed as "Casual" in on Michigan's official bird checklist (http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/rouge_river/Checklist.html), meaning that it is reported less than annually in the state, and any reports must be reviewed and accepted by the Michigan Bird Records Committee before being published in the seasonal Michigan Bird Survey, published in Michigan Birds and Natural History, and summarized for North American Birds. That is, it is on the state's "Review List." The species is a rare, but annual fall migrant in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, and does not appear on any of these Review Lists. Most records from Michigan are also from the fall, but it is unclear why Michigan has fewer reports of this species than all surrounding areas. Perhaps we haven't learned where and how to find them? In the past few years, birders in states and provinces surrounding Michigan have learned when, where, and how to find this species, with the result that small numbers are found each year in appropriate habitat. As a result of querying birders in Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario (via chat groups IN-Bird, Ohio-Birds, and ONTBIRDS), some interesting information was gathered. Time of Year Consistent with the Michigan records for Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, late September through mid-October is the migration period for this species in the region. Time of Day Some suggest that early morning, and particularly the first hour after sunrise, is best. Weather Conditions As with many fall migrants, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows seem to appear following the passage of strong cold fronts. Habitat There were some consistencies in habitat description, and some surprising differences. The most consistent habitat characteristics seem to be weedy fields near small ponds, the edges of cattail marshes (between the shore and the cattails), or even bordering seasonally wet fields. The plants most often mentioned in these fields include large stands of Smartweed (Polygonum sp.) and Beggar-Ticks (Bidens sp.) where the vegetation is from knee high to chest high. Other plants mentioned include Sedges (Scirpus sp., Carex sp., and Cyperus sp.), Bur-reed, Bulrush (Scirpus sp.), Rice Cutgrass, Barnyard Grass (Echinocloa sp.), Indian Grass, Leersia, Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), Ditch Stonecrop (Penthorum sedoides), Cockleburs, Canary Grass (Phalaris sp.), and Manna Grass (Glyceria sp.). In Ontario, apparently the ideal conditions are where there is 2-10 inches of standing water in these weedy fields, while in Ohio and Indiana water was mentioned, but the sparrows have also been found in dry fields adjacent to wetlands. One respondent described the habitat in Wisconsin where he'd looked for this species as a "wet industrial wasteland". This seems to fit the description of the Lebanon Business Park northwest of Indianapolis, which I have visited, although this site is actually a mitigation wetland. In early September, there were lots of Song and Savannah Sparrows in the habitat. All agree that this is a difficult and unpleasant habitat to walk through! Technique How birders find this species varies. In southeastern Michigan, in the 1950s and 1960s, a rope was dragged over the fields to flush the sparrows (and rarely Yellow Rails). If wading is required, often boots or even hip waders have been required. In Indiana, groups of birders cooperate and walk abreast through the fields, flushing the birds. In all areas, single birders can sometimes flush birds just by thrashing around in the habitat. In Flight Identification A good tip is provided by Ron Pittaway of Ontario in the October 1997 issue of OFO News (OFO News Vol. 15, No. 3, pg. 6). Ron suggests that Swamp and Song Sparrows will flush with an undulating flight as they pump their long tails. Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows [and I suspect LeConte's] are chunker, grayer, and fly on a straight plane with no pumping of their short tails. Sometimes, bird have been known to perch in nearby cattails or on top of the sedges, providing opportunities to study field marks in greater detail. I'd like to thank the following people for responding to this inquiry: Mike Busam (OH) [EMAIL PROTECTED] (ON) Roger Hedge (IN) Lynea Hinchman (IN) Ed Hopkins (IN) Ned Keller (IN) Clint Murray (IN) Karl Overman (MI) Ron Pittaway (ON) John Pogacnik (OH) Bill Watson (NY) Alan Wormington (ON) Allen Chartier [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1442 West River Park Drive Inkster, MI 48141 Website: http://www.amazilia.net Michigan HummerNet: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/index.htm
