Oregon Vesper Sparrow in Sonoma County, California
Oregon Vesper Sparrow in Sonoma County, California
The Oregon Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus affinis) is listed in Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 18 as a rather rare winter visitant, with only four records of occurrence in the Bay section which includes Sonoma County. On October 13, 1930, one was collected. No others were observed that year. October 3, 4, and 5, 1931, four were collected and a number of others observed on those dates. October 3, 1932, one was collected and one noted the following day.
From these occurrences I believe the Oregon Vesper Sparrow to be a yearly fall transient in varying but limited numbers in this section. There is a large number of Western Savannah Sparrows here as winter visitants and it is difficult to make positive identification of the Vesper Sparrow unless the birds permit close approach. For that reason it is possible that the Oregon Vesper Sparrows may be more numerous than the records indicate.
Five of the six birds collected are in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley. The ones not previously recorded are catalog nos. 62813-62816. All were collected in the same locality, about two miles north of Healdsburg.
C. W. Edge
Healdburg, California, May 8, 1933
