Caley Thomas Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexHenry Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 Yes 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 Even though we can only see part of the bird, the dense dark spots and buffy flanks confirm Cactus Wren. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Thomas Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 Sooooo....my ebird reviewer flagged this one over the weekend. Obviously, the pictures leave quite a lot to be desired. He said it would be highly unusual for a Cactus Wren to be found that high up in elevation (the Chisos Mtn Basin, where i saw it, is anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the surrounding desert lowlands, which apparently the bird is more commonly found). The elevation where I saw the bird was +/- 6500' above mean sea level. He suggested I change the ID to "new world sparrow sp.", thinking it was some type of a juvenile sparrow, and that he'd try to figure it out at some point down the road perhaps. I could see that a juvenile Black-throated Sparrow may have that streaked upper chest area, but the white feather edge visible underneath the upper part of the tail doesn't seem to match. I don't honestly see anything else on Merlin Bird ID that it could be either. Any other thoughts on this one anybody? Lastly, I would note that within the past year a significant fire occurred up in the Basin where I was hiking, leaving lots of dead and deteriorating wood and debris in its wake, potentially creating a short term draw to species not normally in this area for foraging reasons, but that's purely conjecture on my part, as I don't even know what the diet is of a Cactus Wren if I'm being honest. Should I just change it to what he suggested and let it go? Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Caley Thomas said: Sooooo....my ebird reviewer flagged this one over the weekend. Obviously, the pictures leave quite a lot to be desired. He said it would be highly unusual for a Cactus Wren to be found that high up in elevation (the Chisos Mtn Basin, where i saw it, is anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 feet above the surrounding desert lowlands, which apparently the bird is more commonly found). The elevation where I saw the bird was +/- 6500' above mean sea level. He suggested I change the ID to "new world sparrow sp.", thinking it was some type of a juvenile sparrow, and that he'd try to figure it out at some point down the road perhaps. I could see that a juvenile Black-throated Sparrow may have that streaked upper chest area, but the white feather edge visible underneath the upper part of the tail doesn't seem to match. I don't honestly see anything else on Merlin Bird ID that it could be either. Any other thoughts on this one anybody? Lastly, I would note that within the past year a significant fire occurred up in the Basin where I was hiking, leaving lots of dead and deteriorating wood and debris in its wake, potentially creating a short term draw to species not normally in this area for foraging reasons, but that's purely conjecture on my part, as I don't even know what the diet is of a Cactus Wren if I'm being honest. Should I just change it to what he suggested and let it go? Thanks! I agree with your reviewer. This bird has pink legs and has a striped (not spotted) breast. Edited August 9, 2021 by Connor Cochrane 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Thomas Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 Changing it now - thanks @Connor Cochrane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Connor Cochrane said: I agree with your reviewer. This bird has pink legs and has a striped (not spotted) breast. Just a thought, however I am probably wrong. But, I’m getting Sage thrasher vibes from this. Thoughts.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 11 minutes ago, IKLland said: Just a thought, however I am probably wrong. But, I’m getting Sage thrasher vibes from this. Thoughts.. I agree. When I said Cactus Wren before, I was really not thinking. Those white edges, slight buffy edges, and stripes definitely look like Sage Thrasher. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Thomas Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 Thanks @IKLland and @Quiscalus quiscula! I sent a little email to the reviewer with the ID to see what he thinks, but it seems like a good match to me! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 7 minutes ago, Caley Thomas said: Thanks @IKLland and @Quiscalus quiscula! I sent a little email to the reviewer with the ID to see what he thinks, but it seems like a good match to me! Just to be clear, I have no experience with Sage thrasher, so I might be totally wrong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 5 minutes ago, IKLland said: Just to be clear, I have no experience with Sage thrasher, so I might be totally wrong. Neither do I, but I'm still pretty sure you're right with Sage Thrasher. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Thomas Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) @IKLlandfair enough, but it's better than my initial guess, and I'm glad to have something to send back over to the nice reviewer as a result, even if determined wrong :-). Edited August 9, 2021 by Caley Thomas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Connor Cochrane said: I agree with your reviewer. This bird has pink legs and has a striped (not spotted) breast. Agreed. I don’t think it’s a Sage Thrasher. Edited August 9, 2021 by Seanbirds 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadguy205 Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) I saw a Cactus Wren there in January 2020.  It was right in front of the lodge   I got a pretty good picture and it was confirmed by a couple people here on Whatbird.  Not saying this was a Cactus Wren but they are in the Basin by the lodge.   sorry just noted you were higher up not by the lodge.  Never mind Edited August 9, 2021 by Roadguy205 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 4 hours ago, Seanbirds said: Agreed. I don’t think it’s a Sage Thrasher. Not to contradict you, but why not sage thrasher? I don't know what kind of sparrow would match this picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 5 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: Not to contradict you, but why not sage thrasher? I don't know what kind of sparrow would match this picture. Spotting (not streaking like on this bird) on a Sage Thrasher extends down to the belly and further. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 I agree with Sparrow sp. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Seanbirds said: Spotting (not streaking like on this bird) on a Sage Thrasher extends down to the belly and further. I thought Sage thrashers were streaked? Otherwise you're correct. Any idea on what it is? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 Just now, Quiscalus quiscula said: I thought Sage thrashers were streaked? Well, sorta. Streaking made up of disconnected spots, not defined lines, like on this bird. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, Seanbirds said: Well, sorta. Streaking made up of disconnected spots, not defined lines, like on this bird. Okay, thanks for clarifying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: Any idea on what it is? Nope! Edited August 9, 2021 by Seanbirds 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Thomas Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 @Seanbirds@Quiscalus quiscula I'm beginning to feel like calling this one just a bird sp. ha! (I'm content with leaving it as sparrow sp. as I have done of course per the reviewer though). Maybe next time I should wait until the head is included in the pic, aye? 😄 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Thomas Posted August 10, 2021 Author Share Posted August 10, 2021 OK, so this awesome reviewer did a bunch more looking at it, and came back to me with juvenile Spotted Towhee, which, factoring in the behaviors, elevation, and abundance of this species at this location, makes perfect sense to me. Just thought I would follow up one last time, and sorry my poor pics made this one so damn difficult to pin down! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Caley Thomas said: OK, so this awesome reviewer did a bunch more looking at it, and came back to me with juvenile Spotted Towhee, which, factoring in the behaviors, elevation, and abundance of this species at this location, makes perfect sense to me. Just thought I would follow up one last time, and sorry my poor pics made this one so damn difficult to pin down! Juvenile Spotted Towhee fits perfectly! Edited August 10, 2021 by Seanbirds 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 2 minutes ago, Seanbirds said: Juvenile Spotted Towhee fits perfectly! It does? I was going to say I disagree, but I only have photos to go by. This bird seems to be paler below with cleaner streaking and a streaked neck. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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