"Uncommon, rarely enters our region ... Winters in open brushy areas mixed with grass. Forms loose flocks in winter, vagrants in eastern states often mixes with Chipping sparrows or Field Sparrows. Similar to Chipping, but paler and more buffy over all, with contrasting gray nape, strong dark 'mustache' and pale lores." (Sibley's The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, p.375)

"Blackish streaked crown with distinct pale median stripe. Broad whitish eyebrow, pale lores, brown cheek outlined by dark postocular and moustachial stripes; conspicuous pale submoustachial stripe. Nape gray ...." (Jon L. Dunn & Jonathan Alderfer. Field Guide to the Birds of North America, p. 468)

"Common to uncommon migrant through much of the state." (Mark W. Lockwood & Brush Freeman. The TOS Handbook of Texas Birds, p. 193)

Looking back through older photographs, I have decided that the Clay-Colored Sparrow has been here for several years (for example, the bird above), going unrecognized and mixed in with the Chipping Sparrows, which are much like them. This contrasts the faces of the two.

Photo taken with a Nikon D90 using a Nikkon 400mm, f5.6 lens.