ML616264326
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Observation details
I arrived at the stakeout for the Cassin’s Sparrow (approximately here: 37.890370, -122.318327, near an intersection of four rough trails) at around 8:10 am. Ten or more other birders were there with the subject already detected and singing just over the slope on the north side of the trail. The song was very faint, and I did not hear it until Todd Easterla pointed it out. After a few minutes of soft singing, the bird flew to bushes higher up the slope and closer to the trail. For the next 40 minutes, it flew to different bushes in the area, where it was in near full view, constantly singing a different and louder song than before, but always obscured by thin branches and stems. Around 9 am, it briefly disappeared in grass then flew to a bare shrub in full view. It then flew across the trail and disappeared in new fennel and grass. At a distance or upon first view, this bird could be described as non-descript. But closer and extended observation shows its plumage to be finely detailed. It was, overall, a grayish sparrow. On this grayness, all other markings will be described. There were two crown stripes of streaky rufous separated by a vague and streaky gray stripe. The supercilium was gray. A thin rufous line extended from behind the eye to form the upper border of the auricular. The rear of the auricular was also bordered by rufous. The auricular itself was somewhat vague but may have been streaky brownish. There was a thin white eye ring. The throat was white, brighter than the underparts. Scapulars were rufous and gray with some small black spots. Tertials were dark gray or black with white edges or borders. Primaries and secondaries appeared to be brownish. Greater coverts were blackish with white tips. Median coverts appeared to be hidden by the scapulars. Underparts were pale gray. There was fine rufous and dark streaking across the upper breast and some dull streaking along the flanks. The tail appeared to be overall grayish or dark with a white edge, but white corners were not seen. The legs were pinkish. The bill was gray. The bird seemed to have two types of song. Its first song was a very quiet wren-like warble. After it came into view it sang a much louder and more varied song of trills. whistles, and tweets. The second is heard on the attached audio. There is some talking and wind noise.
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