ML304032661

Observation details

Was about to give up finding this (lifer) bird in the grassland, after official sunset had passed. Was heading out when I saw a black bird pass by a smaller mockingbird in the scrub on the east side of the road. I got out of the car and was rewarded by this bird calling. After it went quiet, I tried playback and it responded, coming closer and making a cack sound from within a shrub very close to my head. It eventually popped into the open to allow a good look at the shape of its large beak. By then the light was too low for anything but a blurry photo. The first second of the attached audio is the tail end of its initial calls.