Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2010-02
| Common name: |
Gilded Flicker |
| Scientific name: | Colaptes chrysoides |
| Date: | 01/14/2010 |
| Time: | 10:30 am |
| Length of time observed: | 15 minutes and 2 minutes again |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | unknown |
| Location: | Mathis Park |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | 37 deg 6' 18.01'' N |
| Elevation: | 113 deg 37' 19394 '' W |
| Distance to bird: | 200 feet first time, 20 feet second time |
| Optical equipment: | Bushnell binoculars zoom variety 9X to 27 X 50 Zoom |
| Weather: | Cloudy and cool |
| Light Conditions: | light, not too bright |
| Description: Size of bird: | 12 inches |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | long, large head, longish bill |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | White breast with dark spots, yellow underwings |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | long bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Whitish with dark spots on its breast with a large dark spot in the center that was elongated side to side. Dark grey head with brown nape and crown. Barred back and wings with a brown background. Bright yellow underwings. Bright white rump. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | No call heard |
| Behavior: | Perched in a tree with its feathers fluffed up. Sedentary for 10 minutes until it flew off its perch into the vegetation of the river. When I saw it the second time it was flying left to right and slighly away from. It perched on a small tree, relatively close to me. It stayed here for about 3 minutes and was gone, |
| Habitat: | River bottom with Tamarisk, reeds, cattails, running water, and some taller trees (cottonwood I believe) on the far bank. Near side had some scrub oak. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Northern Flicker (red shafted). It did not have red under-wings. Very easy. Norther Flicker (yellow shafter) It had no red on its nape, and its crown was brown not black, and its face was black not brown. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
None with the Gilded or the yellow-shafted. The red-shafted I have seen probably on 20 different occasaions, and a total of 50 birds. |
| References consulted: | Sibley Guide to Birds |
| Description from: | Notes taken at time of sighting |
| Observer: | Nathan Fisher |
| Observer's address: | 10 N 60 E La Verkin, UT 84745 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | speednat@bajabb.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 01/15/2010 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional_Comments: | No doubt in my mind |