Indigo Bunting singing on Lower Rock Crk Rd

Observers: Debby Parker, Rosie Howard, Ron & Nancy Overholtz and Bill Mitchel
Email: j.parkeratcebridge.net
Date: 07/09/2008
Time: 10:02 PM -0400

This male was singing in the strip between Hwy 395 and Lower Rock Crk Rd (road to Paradise) and has been for the last week. A female was seen joining the male by one of our group & it was a buffy yellow with fine vertical streaks in the breast (typical for female Indigo Buntings). This female type had a bunting-shaped bill. A few days ago two Indigo Bunting males were singing fairly close to each other but obviously in their own territories. The more northerly male might have been the hybrid that was seen over a week ago in Birchim Canyon. Birchim is across Hwy 395 from these two singing male buntings. Photos of the pure male from today were taken.