[birding] E.E. Wilson bunting

[rich armstrong]

1. nanette & i went out to e e wilson at 930 and after about 20 minutes of 
goldfinches and barn swallows, the BUNTING showed up right where joel sent 
us. it actually posed reasonably for us about 50 feet into the private area 
north of the fence. it then flew down behind a bush in the cattails.
2. i did take my scope, and nanette did take her camera, and she did get a 
bunch of pictures that hopefully will show something. we will figure out how 
to get them to someone.
3. definitely a splotchy bird. now 1st i must point out that we are not 
close to the skill level of joel geier, so take these comments for what they 
are worth - not a lot.
    a. the chest was mostly brown but had a belly area that was quite blue - 
i don't think lazuli would have blue on the belly in any plumage?
    b. we saw no wing bars.
    c. the browns of the throat and chest and back were darker brown which i 
think leans more to indigo
4. i have no clue what a hybrid would look like.
5. so we think it is not a lazuli, but we hope the pictures will be 
definitive to the experts. nanette has to work at school but hopefully she 
will get them loaded up late afternoon.
Rich Armstrong
541-753-1978
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joel Geier" <joel.geier at peak.org>
To: "MidValley Birds" <list at midvalleybirding.org>; "Oregon Birders OnLine"
<obol at oregonbirdwatch.org>
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 9:04 PM
Subject: [birding] E.E. Wilson bunting


> Hi folks,
>
> Sorry for the multiple postings while my multiple scattered trains of
> thought gradually converge on an ID here, but ...
>
> First, it seems that the blue patches on this bird make it an
> after-hatch-year male.
>
> After looking through all of the online images that I could find based
> on searches on various combinations of the words "indigo lazuli bunting
> molting hybrid" etc., it seems that there ought to be at least some
> visible trace of a pale wingbar or two, on an after-hatch-year, hybrid
> Indigo x Lazuli Bunting.
>
> Or is it just that hybrids/backcrosses are only recognized when there is
> some trace of wing bars? Seems like this discussion comes up a lot when
> eastern birders are hoping for a Lazuli Bunting, so maybe there is some
> circumstantial selection toward birds that show wing bars.
>
> This one was such a motley-looking bird, it was hard even to describe
> and the yellowjacket feasting on my foot didn't help. It would be nice
> if someone could get a photograph tomorrow for better diagnosis. I might
> give it a try but the equipment I have at hand is not really up to the
> purpose.
>
> The location again is straight north of E.E. Wilson HQ, after you cross
> the canal, then turn right just before the fence on the south side of
> the area that's closed to the public. Walk out about 200 ft to where
> this fence crosses a ditch with cattails, then look north.
>
> Happy birding,
> Joel
>
> P.S. We were back out there to pick plums this evening but didn't see
> the bunting. We did hear about 30 or so SWAINSON'S THRUSHES calling from
> just about everywhere, as it got close to dusk.
>
> P.P.S. For Sandy -- sorry, after sweeping up all of those Blackpoll &
> Magnolia Warblers I neglected to take a photo, before mailing the whole
> box in to the OBRC. Hope it gets there soon, I hear the weather is
> getting warm again. ;)
>
> --
> Joel Geier
> Camp Adair area north of Corvallis
>
>
>
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