ML629913840

Podrobnosti k pozorování

Uhhhhhh wow. After only seeing two kinglets and a WCSP during my loop, the birding gods gifted me a sweet little FOSP a top a Russian Olive. With some rejuvenated hope, I patiently watched the area and noticed a small flock foraging on the ground here: (35.3742284, -104.1924138). The diversity of multiple WTSPs, DEJUs, a NOCA, a HETH, a BRTH, and of course the FOSP, led me to believe there was something I was not seeing. On a whim of what I thought was wishful thinking I played a series of EATO calls. By the third of fourth call, a rufous-sided towhee shot into a nearby Russian Olive about fifteen feet in front of me. I could only see the front side but it was apparent this bird was not a pure SPTO. It had a dusky brown head, white bases to its primaries, and no apparent white spots from my view. Dumbfounded, I took some photos and played another series of more aggressive calls hoping it would either reveal itself more or turn around to show its back side. During this series it gave two loud, somewhat nasally, “twree” calls. Despite the playback, the bird did not move. In fact, it stayed in the same spot in the same position for about three minutes. Only when I looked away momentarily did the towhee disappear back into the brush. I repositioned myself from where I was on the main road to the opposite side near the pump gate. After waiting for another ten minutes, the towhee reappeared in the open, allowing me to get one shot of its profile before it flew over the gate and into the brush here:(35.3737718, -104.1923702). Lucky for me, there were no spots to be found. While I wasn’t able to obtain audio, I am confident this is a pure bird.