[Birdnet] Purple Finch 9/7 at Lytle Ranch (Washington Co.)

[rfridell]

Hello, 
Today (9/7) at Lytle Ranch (Washington Co.), Larry Tripp and I saw a female Purple Finch.  We heard a bird repeatedly giving a musical two-syllable call note from a box elder along the main road north from the orchard.  Neither of us was familiar with this call, but before we could locate the bird it flew down into the alfalfa field, about 10 feet from us.  We walked towards the bird and it flushed and flew across the field and perched (along with a bunch of sparrows) in a large box elder on the west edge of the alfalfa field. It gave a single “pick” as it flew up.  Still not sure what the bird was, we eventually located it perched in the tree, continuing to give it’s two-note call.  We believe it was of the Pacific race, due to an olive/yellowish wash on the head.  The finch then flew off to the south; we tracked it and thought it landed in the large mulberry tree in the orchard, but could not relocate it when we made it down there.  We spent awhile listening for it’s distinctive 'chu-weeh call', but could not relocate it.  Before it flew, we were able to get some views of the bird noting bill shape, streaking, head pattern, etc., and apparently the “pick” 

There were fair numbers of migrants (Willow Flycatchers (15), Warbling Vireos (12), warblers, and Western Tanagers (50), Lazuli Buntings (20) and sparrows) along the Beaver Dam Wash today.  

Other highlights at Lytle included: 
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal (5)
Red-shouldered Hawk (at the pond)
Prairie Falcon (flying overhead to the north)
Northern Waterthrush (at the Big Cottonwood Ranch road crossing)
White-crowned Sparrows (3, first of the fall)

Many summer residents appear to have moved out, including Common Black-Hawk, Ash-throated, and Brown-crested Flycatchers, Phainopepla, and Lucy’s Warbler were not seen. 

There were a couple White-winged Doves, a single Bell’s Vireo, and a noisy family of Summer Tanagers remaining.

Regards, 

Rick Fridell
Hurricane, UT