Subject: [Tweeters] Please Help ID,
Date: Jan 10 16:24:42 2009
From: Lydia Bishop - gizacat at mac.com


Hi Tweeties!

I'm down here in Bakersfield and I forgot my bird book! I've got just
about all the birds coming to the backyard at my mother's house
identified and I'll list them below, but one bird I can't ID.

It is about the size of a large sparrow, has a pale grey-ish-greenish-
yellowish body and when the sun catches it's wings it is quite yellow
on the underside of the wings. The back is a grey-ish color and the
wings have distinct black and white bars when it is hopping around at
the ground feeding stations. It pecks away at the seeds. If somebody
here in Tweeters can get me a general species I think I can nail the
ID when I get home and look at my book. Maybe someone could send me
links to likely suspects.

Here's what's been coming to the ground feeding station in front of
the living room patio door. I've been moving the ground feeder closer
to the patio door so my invalid mom can see them better.

White Crown Sparrow (the default backyard bird)
House Finches
Mourning Doves
Scrub Jays
Mockingbirds
OREGON JUNCO (what a surprise to see my default backyard bird at my
mother's feeding station!)
A tree full of Lark Sparrows (early November)
Black Phoebe (summer bird that launches itself over the murky swimming
pool)

Well, there is another sparrow I'm not sure of. They fly in with the
White Crowns, but their "bicycle helmets" are gray and reddish brown
rather than black and white. They are NOT the weaver finch house
sparrow.

Well, thanks for any help you can share.

Lydia

In a dreary Bakersfield, CA