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Lawrence's Goldfinch
This is one truely enigmatic bird. Firstly, it inhabits very arid, dry regions, infact favoring dry areas for nesting, so long as there is a standing source of water. That said, there is no means of knowing where this bird will show up. It is known as an "eratic". Flocks of them (usually number no more than say 10 pairs, or solitary) may appear in a location for perhaps one or two season and then vanish, not to return. This makes this a very difficult bird to study, in fact there were very few sources to draw upon, and many of these are dated. The bird was given it's name (1850), by John Cassin, as a dedication to a New York business man, George Lawrence, who was also an ornithologis. A granivorous bird, Lawrence's goldfich is partial to native species of seed plants.
It is also a bird that will mimic other birds, and has complicated, and varied vocalizations. Though it has no loyalty to any given nesting location, it has had a tendency to nest in the Kern River area. This individual (pictured) was a transient that made a stop to get some water. The camera was trained out of the kitchen window for capturing yard birds when this male landed on a perch set near a water source. It is the one and only oportunity it gave me: lucky.
Habitat
Chaparral: mixed coniferous, shrubs, rolling hills
Location
Wofford Hts., Kern Co., CA, USA
Date taken
Dec. 2009
Scientific name
Carduelis lawrencei
Equipment used
Canon 30D : EF 500 IS L @ f 4.0 : Aperture priority : 1/500 @ f 5.6, -.33 exp comp : ISO 500 : white bal custom 5450K : mono pod : PP light room, CS2
Killer shot!:clap::clap::clap:Heading out Monday for a 2300+drive to Palm
Springs, with several birding stops along the way! won't make it to kern co. got any tips?
 
Nice image Mark, But, I enjoyed your commentary even more than the image. If you ever wonder if people take the time to read the information you supply, the answer is an affirmative. Thanks for investing the extra time that is required to share this information "to complete the picture".

Ioway
 

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Category
North America
Added by
digishooter
Date added
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