[EBB Sightings] Mystery Bird at Children's Fairyland

I saw some of the other replies saying Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) and
I recalled seeing one at Hickham AFB, Hawaii.  I checked my Hawaii's Birds
book and my pictures from Hawaii and it is an excellent match except for no
orange on the head.  We all know that diet plays a part in a bird's color,
so the 'missing' orange could be diet.  "Hawaii's Birds" said that it was
introduced to Hawaii in 1960's and native to South America.

Ralf Stinson

-----Original Message-----
From: sightings-bounces at diabloaudubon.com
[mailto:sightings-bounces at diabloaudubon.com] On Behalf Of Hilary Powers
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 15:31
To: ebbsightings
Subject: [EBB Sightings] Mystery Bird at Children's Fairyland

Today's GGAS walk ran across a bird that none of us could identify, even
though it hopped around happily for at least 15 minutes. It was with a
couple of white-crowned sparrows, about the same size or a little larger,
behaving much as they did, and screaming bright butter yellow.

Except for grayish wing primaries and tail feathers and a bit of orange
frosting around its forehead and heavy black beak, it was as yellow as a
yellow warbler - but without the chest streaks or the weaselly warbler beak
or the fondness for treetops and deep brush.

Click the following link to download a zip archive containing four pictures
taken by Robert Chilvers on the walk: 
www.powersedit.com/ftp/yellowbird.zip

So What Is It?! the people cried....