Weedy/open field birds arriving

Yesterday (10/27), after finishing a monthly shorebird survey, I found a a Lapland Longspur with a Horned Lark flock along the edge of the Saltworks pond restoration construction staging area. Today (10/28) at D Street Fill, while trying to get another shorebird survey done, I noticed a skulky bird with white outer tail feathers flushing from the car. Thinking it was maybe an American Pipit (but hoping Siberian) I got out to look at it. The way it dove and disappeared into the veg I then thought maybe it was just an uncommon coastal Vesper Sparrow. When I finally got my binos on it, as it swiftly walked away through the veg, I noticed strong pale double braces on the back. At that moment it turned its head to pause and look at me revealing the plain face and giant black eye of a Sprague’s Pipit! I was eventually able to get some OK photos of it.

Both of these birds are unfortunately not chaseable, but you have to wonder what else is waiting to be found at Fiesta Island (or other less checked coastal/weedy/open-type places). The recently split Siberian Pipit comes to mind, or Baird’s Sparrow, or Smith’s Longspur…

Lapland:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S200559848

Sprague’s:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S200658218

Matt Sadowski