ML492894431

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

**Rare for Westchester, but a species with a well-defined pattern of showing up along the East coast during fall migration. First record for Westchester this year, and one of only a few records away from Croton Point or the Rye area (Marshlands, Edith, etc). Additionally, a first record for Rockefeller I believe!! Spotted atop Buttermilk Hill in an incredible sparrow bonanza of 10 species. The bird was perched up in a tree just above the weedy shrubs it had come out of, and although I was focused on a couple of WCSP, this bird’s pale front and small size kept me thinking CCSP (but with no justification since it could have easily been CHSP from my initial views). Eventually, I decided to take a couple shots of the bird since I couldn’t see much detail as it was backlit, and when I looked at my camera I was floored to actually see a Clay-colored Sparrow! In that instant, the bird went back into the mugwort and goldenrod, and so began a search to try and refind it. After about 30 minutes of searching, I went around to the backside of the area across from where Joe was, and while looking at another WCSP, the Clay-colored flew up out of the grasses and landed on some mugwort about 20ft from me. It gave great views and as Joe came sprinting over, it flew once more and landed atop some mugwort at the edge of the trail, giving us our closest views but also quite obstructed. In all, this bird proved to be very skulky and was never seen well again, giving only more one possible view that was too quick to confirm. As for the ID, a small, buffy spizella with a thin, medium length tail, paler underparts and chest, a heavily patterned and streaked back, an unstreaked rump concolourous with body (contra CHSP), a pale supercillium and a very pale, well-demarcated malar, gray nape, a brownish head with a paler median crown stripe, and a buffy cheek. The lack of a black line extending through the eye from the beak as well as the “cuter” appearance rules out CHSP. The gray nape, brighter coloration and contrast, and crown’s pale median stripe rule out Brewer’s, though this bird was on the paler side of CCSP. A spectacularly fun way to top this sparrow heavy morning, and a testament to the power other areas in Westchester hold that are so underbirded. Photos to come

Technical information

Model

NIKON D500

ISO

180

Focal length

500 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/640 sec

Dimensions

1486 pixels x 991 pixels

Original file size

665.44 KB