I Got it Wrong!

Bird Brain of Britain in 2000 but can still get it wrong in 2012

However many birds you have seen it is always possible to make a mistake in the identification especially when in unfamiliar territory.  I did just that on June 29th when an orange-coloured sparrow right in front of me attracted my attention at Frank Lake, Alberta.  The bird sang twice with a very peculiar brief buzzing song.  As I had been hoping to find Le Conte's Sparrow I assumed wrongly that this was the bird I was looking at. After research in field guides and sound recordings my doubts were proved correct and what I saw and heard was in fact a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow.  This species is equally difficult find and still a new species for me.  Back into the field now after Le Conte's Sparrow.