Re(2): Clay-colored Sparrows etc. Posted on June 15, 2008 at 01:45:22 AM by Bob Bowles
Eleanor;
I have been birding at Rainy River and if you are going up there for Clay-colored Sparrows they are much easier to find on the Carden Alvar. If you drive Wiley Road north of Windmill Ranch early in the morning around 9 a.m. you will see both Grasshopper and Clay-colored Sparrows sitting on the fence beside the road that you can photograph from the car. You will also see many Savannah, Song and Vesper Sparrows sitting on the fence as well as Chipping Sparrows but you will be surprised how many Clay-colored and Grasshopper Sparrows you will observe on the fence at this time of year but you may have to wait for a while to get them. The best place is the open field at Sulphur Springs which is just north of the northern boundary of the Windmill Ranch. I have also seen them in the back of the Cameron Ranch and Windmill Ranch but I know that you would find it difficult to walk back there with your camera equipment so use your car as a blind and work Wiley Road in that area.