LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

1. English and Scientific names: Lesser Goldfinch, Carduelis psaltria

2. Number of individuals, sexes, ages, general plumage (e.g., 2 in alternate plumage):

1 not quite an adult ( green flecking on back)

3. Locality: LOUISIANA: (parish) _Sabine Parish

Specific Locality: _Debbie Ponder’s house in Pleasant Hill, LA

4. Date(s) when observed: January 8, 2011

5. Time(s) of day when observed: 10:30 am

6. Reporting observer and address: Vicki LeFevers, lefevers@centenary.edu

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

Terry Davis

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s):

Marty Guidry and 1 other person(with a very large camera) were there at the time we were.

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): bird was on feeders in full sun

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): 10 x 25 Zeiss

11. Distance to bird(s): 20 ft from feeder seen from inside of house, 25 feet outside on back porch

12. Duration of observation: about an hour and a half

13. Habitat: rural backyard

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation (flying, feeding, resting; include and stress habits used in identification; relate events surrounding observation): actively feeding on niger, sunflower seeds, corn. Flew from feeder to tree. Flew off for about 1`5 min at a time then returned.

15. Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have been seen; include if possible: total length/relative size compared to other familiar species, body bulk, shape, proportions, bill, eye, leg, and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar species): Seen with American Goldfinch for good comparison. Bright yellow throat, breast, under tail coverts, whitish yellow vent. Back was black with greenish flecks. Maybe just a bit smaller than the AMGO on the same feeder. Crown of head and back of neck dark.

16. Voice: NA

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation): Was with an AMGO and clearly different.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): photos by LeFevers attached

19. Previous experience with this species: Seen several times in California, Arizona, west Texas.

20. Identification aids: (list books, illustrations, other birders, etc. used in identification):

a. at time of observation: Sibley and National Geographic

b. after observation:

21. This description is written from: _____ notes made during the observation (_____notes attached?);_____notes made after the observation (date:_____); __XX___memory. Conservation with Terry and photos.

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Yes

23. Signature of reporter: _Vicki LeFevers___Date:___3/28/2011_______Time:_______