ML613098813

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Complete surprise! Seen amongst several Savannahs in grassy area of powerline right-of-way. Perched for several minutes in short bare shrub allowing continued study. Smaller than Savannahs. Dull Spizella with gray lores (eliminating a immature Chipping). Brown crown lacking rufescent tones of a Chipping. Thin, rather undefined paler median crown stripe not as prominent as expected for Clay-colored. Gray face with some darker warm brown markings bordering auriculars and a thin dark malar stripe. Thin white eye ring. Gray nape lacking the sharp contrast with the facial coloration expected of Clay-colored. Small dull pink bill. Call note a harsh "sip", though softer than a Clay-colored and not bi-syllabic such as a Chipping Sparrow. Many photos. An unexpected first county record, though this has been an exceptional fall/winter for the species being detected further east of its usual range in Texas, likely due to the drought conditions further westward in the Great Plains and Interior West. Also appears to be a second record for the Pineywoods (at least in eBird). Located here: 30.299818,-95.042295

Technical information

Model

DSC-RX10M4

Lens

8.8-220mm f/2.4-4.0

ISO

200

Focal length

220 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/4.0

Shutter speed

1/800 sec

Dimensions

5472 pixels x 3080 pixels

Original file size

5.3 MB