Ammodramus savannarum
July 24, 1994: DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Harrison County, IA
Not entirely sure about this ID.
December 30, 1997: San Rafael Grasslands, Santa Cruz County, AZ
Spent a lot of time with this one individual, who was VERY cooperative, giving me plenty of time for study. The most noticeable feature was the intense yellow spot above the eye down near the bill. Also had light rufous streaking on the breast, and spent lots of time on the ground, running from me instead of flying when it flushed. The bird allowed me to come quite close, and I really got some wonderful looks. Amazingly, I’m feeling a bit more confident with sparrows, although it does take me quite a bit of time.
Let me know what you think!