ML440492921

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Continuing male, outside house with parrot at about (39.948382, -120.912573). Full documentation to CBRC reproduced here: Found on 12/18/21 by Ryan and Rachel Bauer during a CBC; first identified by Colin Dillingham. Documented by many since then. Located initially at about 7:50 am, and viewed intermittently for about 40 minutes; perhaps 7 minutes of observation cumulatively. Mostly in crabapples near 166 Bell Lane; occasionally on the ground or front porch, where the residents of 166 had scattered some seed. Associating with a sparrow flock, consisting mostly of Dark-eyed Juncos. Frequently in deep thickets, either partially obscured or out of view completely, but perched in the open occasionally (about 3 minutes cumulatively), and made several very brief visits to the seeds on the porch. Conditions excellent throughout the period of observation; temperatures from 34 ºF at the beginning of the period to 39 ºF at the end; no wind, clear skies, and good lighting. Poor but diagnostic digibinned images. Slightly larger than nearby Dark-eyed Juncos, with a proportionally rather large, conical bill, yellow over the basal two-thirds and blackish over the distal third. Coloration of underparts striking and distinctive—chest and flanks rufous-orange, with sparse blackish spotting along the flanks; belly and undertail coverts white. Upperwing patterning also distinctive: scapulars orange; most greater coverts black at base with broad orange area tips (creating striking wingbar), but greater coverts 1-4 duller gray at base, with limited off-white tips (these appear to be retained juvenile feathers); primary coverts blackish. Primaries and secondaries black, edged with pale yellowish; inner primaries white at base. Tertials black with broad orange margins. Rump and lower back white; mantle feathers black at base and pale brown distally, creating scaled appearance. Head frosty gray-brown with black spangling, darker between base of bill and eye; parallel blackish lines from hindcrown down to nape; partial buffy-yellow eyering. No similar species occur regularly in California, and even extralimitally there are virtually no serious confusion species. A male, based on the presence of black on bases of head and mantle feathers is diagnostic (on females, these feathers should have brown bases); based on retained juvenile greater coverts, probably SY. This species is sometimes kept in captivity and has been recorded to ride ships, but ship assistance should not be a serious concern for a vagrant appearing in Plumas County, and there is no evidence whatsoever to indicate captive origin for this individual. This individual appears to be the 9th for California.

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS

ISO

800

Focal length

20 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/5.9

Shutter speed

1/160 sec

Dimensions

4000 pixels x 3000 pixels

Original file size

1.82 MB