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Hello Vermont Birders: Since Lincoln's Sparrow has been a reoccurring theme on the listserv lately, I thought some folks might be interested in an image I captured this morning and a few ID tips. There is a little brushy area off Dorset Street in South Burlington that I have been meaning to check out. This morning I visited it briefly. It turned out to not be a park unfortunately but still a birdie little patch during my quick turnaround. Shortly after getting out of the car, I had this Lincoln's Sparrow (LISP) pop up. http://www.flickr.com/photos/emhimages/9837806086/in/photostream/ My first impression when I get a LISP in my bins is of a clean, crisp, somewhat delicate, gray-faced sparrow. The bill is noticeably smaller than the bill of a Song Sparrow. Here is a comparison image from this morning: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emhimages/9839110684/in/photostream/ The finer streaking on the breast and flanks of a LISP is thin and well-defined. In contrast, the streaking on a SOSP is usually blurry and broad. This molting juvenile SOSP in the above linked image is particularly messy in that regard. The streaking on a LISP is also limited to the breast and flanks over a warm buffy-brown background sharply contrasting with the clean white belly. SOSPs don't show this bibbed look nearly so well-defined. The face of a SOSP is busy with buff, dark brown and some white whereas a LISP has a clean gray face for the most part with buff restricted to the submoustachial area. Behaviorally, LISP typically pop up with a subtly raised crest. It is nothing like a Northern Cardinal or Tufted Titmouse but it does give the LISP a look of being agitated. The raised crown feathers make for a steep forehead look which is reminiscent of a White-crowned Sparrow. Another behaviorally note, in my experience, LISP seem to regularly rise to the top. If you are working a good sparrow patch and a bunch of sparrows flush to a brush pile or shrub, LISP usually end up near the top. I'm not sure what inspired this but if you are still reading, I hope you found it worthwhile. Best, Eric Hynes Hinesburg