ML615937582

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Single bird, silent, seen at 0930 then once more again at 1035, approximately here 37.432074, -122.016842 in a short Ngaio (mousehole) tree by the bench there. Bird perched long enough for some poor digi-binned photos and video before flying northwest out of sight towards channel. Returned to the same pair of Ngaio trees briefly an hour later before disappearing again, this time along the trail to the east. Did not re-find. Bird was a sparrow, same size as a marsh wren (~5" long) in same bush. Beautiful orangey ochre wash to head, breasts, and flanks, which is immediately what stood out to me. Malar and supercillium orange, crown stripe dark brown, delicate brown streaking on breast that forms a very small dot in center. Could not see median crown stripe color. White/pale throat, white/pale plain belly. I was stuck between Nelson’s and LeConte’s, as I did not get long enough looks and I do not have experience with either species. I shared photos and video with a local expert, who ID’d as Nelson’s with this further justification: “I think it’s a Nelson’s based on the more extensive yet less crisp streaking on the breast, the well-defined white stripes on the dark back visible in one of the videos, the extensive gray nape, and the longer bill.”

Technical information

Original file size

1.18 MB