[EBB Sightings] A Possible Swamp Sparrow in Springtown

Hi Birders
Yesterday morning, George Bing and I saw a sparrow in the creek downstram of
the bridge
on Springtown Boulevard which may have been a Swamp Sparrow.

It was very similar to pictures in various bird books of the first-winter
forms of both
White-throated Sparrow and Swamp Sparrow.  I had no idea those were so
similar!

What seemed in favor of a Swamp Sparrow were the following:
      Very rufous wings, with little or no white spots.
       Bright rufous stripes down the back, extending onto the rump.
       No trace of white on the throat.
       The habitat, the weedy margins of the creek, and the muddy edges.
        Its size, relatively small, more like a Lincoln's Sparrow.

Characters shared with a White-throated Sparrow included:
      Dark crown, finely streaked with no rufous.
      Pale superciliaries, slightly wider behind the eyes.
      Dark bill, but I could not tell if there was any yellow there.
      Pale legs.
      Brownish tail, maybe slightly rufous.

This location is about two miles north of the First Street/Springtown
Boulevard exit
from Hwy 580, on Springtown Boulevard just before it ends at Galloway
Street.

The closest parking is on Rhododendron Street just southeast of the bridge.
The best views of the creek are from the paved trail on the south side of
the creek,
going west downstream.  This trail ends about 1/4 mile downstream, where I
have
seen Virginia Rails, Soras, Moorhens, Marsh Wrens, Yellowthroats and
Lincoln Sparrows in the reeds.

The mystery sparrow was only about 100 yards downstream of the bridge.

Art Edwards