Observers: Tom & Jo Heindel
Email: tjheindelataoldotcom
Verification: MONO
Remote Name: 207.200.116.14
Date: 03/26/2007
Time: 11:06 AM -0500
Lucy's Warblers were in full song in Furnace Creek Ranch and China Ranch, a beautiful song not expected in the Owens Valley where there are only 2 spring & 2 fall records. Most amazing bird found was a male Dickcissel at China Ranch 23 March that was viewed for a couple of minutes at 20 feet. It was about the size of a House Sparrow with a thick bill. It had a yellow breast with a black throat and white chin and sub-moustachial, and pale, narrow supercilliary. The brown back was streaked and spotted black and the wing had a rufous patch in the shoulder. Inyo County distribution is 25 April through 16 June and 7 September through 17 November making this the earliest ever spring record. There are a few winter records from Southern California and it is possible that it wintered at China Ranch or is moving from further south.