ML614189092

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Media notes

Sorry!

Observation details

Uncooperative bird that appeared to be a Clay-colored or Brewer's. My first views were at the south end of the park looking into a tree across the fence on the school property, and while I was able to avoid direct back-light, the whole bird was in an intense glare. I could see the small cone-shaped bill and thin long tail. The impression was of a blank-faced bird with a distinct eye-ring. Even the post-ocular line was very hard to see, and the lores appeared empty. I therefore don't believe it was a chipping sparrow. I had a few perspectives where I could resolve enough detail to see there was a crown, and it had weak streaking inside of it. I could see the mantle was streaked, and that there was a distinct wing-bar. I have a bad photo taken while it was teed up, but the phone focused on the nearer branches. The bird flew south to the southernmost sycamore in the school along the fence, but when I walked around into the school parking lot, it flew off to the north, and I lost it. I was getting back into the car, when a similar bird (perhaps the same one, or perhaps a different one?) popped up again in a crepe myrtle and I saw it through my windshield. It then flew across the creek and I dutifully got out of the car to pursue it. It flew from a pepper along the creek fence down onto the ground just inside the dog park. I was able to see a very cool-toned spizella with a distinct eye-ring and pale lores. It was almost frantic at this point and worked its way further off into the dog park before disappearing. I was unable to refind it and had to leave for work. If I had to assign a specific ID, from the second encounter, I would say Brewer's Sparrow, but I don't think I really saw it well enough.

Technical information

Model

Pixel 6a

Lens

Pixel 6a back camera 4.38mm f/1.73

ISO

58

Focal length

4.4 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/1.7

Shutter speed

1411/1000000 sec

Dimensions

1301 pixels x 1371 pixels

Original file size

317.45 KB