The Fox Sparrow made it onto my life list on January 14, 2006, while I was on a tour of Oso Flaco Lake as part of the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. I didn't get a photo of it back then, but got some nice shots of one in 2007 at Kay's Silver Lake Resort (which looked shuttered up and not in operation at the time) off of Carson Pass during our summer vacay in the Sierras. That big guy was one foxy sparrow!
SPECIES: Passerella iliaca
From Kaufman Focus Guide: Birds of North America:
VOICE: Surprisingly musical, includes rich whistles, sliding notes, short trills. Call note varies by region, either chip or metallic tink.
7/9/07 Kay's Silver Lake Resort, Carson Pass (Hwy. 88), El Dorado National Forest, Amador County, CA
7/9/07 Kay's Silver Lake Resort, Carson Pass (Hwy. 88), El Dorado National Forest, Amador County, CA
LIFE LIST NOTES:
COMMON NAME: Fox Sparrow
COMMON NAME: Fox Sparrow
SPECIES: Passerella iliaca
LIFE LIST DATE: 1/14/2006
COUNT: 1
LOCATION: Riparian area off of Oso Flaco Lake, Oceano, San Luis Obispo County, CA (Event#35 of the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival with guide, Jamie Chavez).
IDENTIFYING MARKS & BEHAVIOR: Generally seen only in small numbers. Color varies from foxy red (east) to gray-headed (mountain west) to sooty brown (Pacific Northwest). Large size, ground scratching behavior. Triangular spots on underparts; rather plain face. Most forms have reddish tail. Some in California very large-billed.
VOICE: Surprisingly musical, includes rich whistles, sliding notes, short trills. Call note varies by region, either chip or metallic tink.
No comments:
Post a Comment