ML617235197

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

This looked and sounded like a Plumbeous more than a Cassin's but it was high up and difficult to get wing panel and head detail. It is probably the same Plumbeous Alex Abela saw on April 2, and suggested it as a returning bird. The bird was in Torrey Pines adjacent to the Longrun Dr (east) pkg lot, and heard singing as I was getting out of car at beginning and it was still singing in same place at end at about 11:10 am. A quite gray and white solitarius-type vireo singing somewhat burry couplets with about 2 sec intervals, tho throwing in some single notes too. It stayed pretty high in Torrey Pines bordering the East Pkg lot. I forgot to bring my PCM recorder and the phone recorders are not so hot. Merlin first thought Cassins, then Plumbeous but switched back and forth. ::sigh:: I could not see any green tint on the mantle, but could not see the mantle well, as I was mostly looking up at it. I did not see any yellow or green edges to the flight feathers because I could not see detail, tho in photos they look pretty dullish gray. I think the dullest Cassins in Spring are immature, but from the round-ish tips to the tail feathers, would indicate an adult. The white cheek looked pretty well-defined against the dark gray head color. There appeared to be no yellow below, but I was pretty far and my eyes are not the greatest these days. The bird also seemed pretty long-winged, which also hints to Plumbeous, but this is not the greatest mark. Pale Cassins in Spring can be difficult to separate from Plumbeous, but I am leaning to the latter, considering Alex saw one at this location not that long ago, tho on the other (west) side of the park..

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

ISO

100

Focal length

162.5 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/200 sec

Dimensions

1004 pixels x 1080 pixels

Original file size

343.62 KB