Date: 4/6/26 6:53 am From: Mark Holmgren via groups.io <maholmgren33...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Birds along Armour Ranch Rd
Yesterday at Camp Four in the Santa Ynez Valley, I ran across Savannah
Sparrows that exhibited singing and paired behavior in two places, if
Merlin is to be believed. At the west end of Armour Ranch Rd and through
my closed car window, I watched one of four birds throw its head back with
bill open as though singing. Closer to the eastern end of Armour Ranch Rd I
had several more Savannah Sparrows and one pair was in a tight chase. Here
Merlin claimed several bouts of song. I saved the recording, but upon
playback I could hear no song or call. I'm tempted to believe Merlin heard
some SavS vocalization, but I could not confirm it.
I'd be really surprised to find any Savannah Sparrows lingering here after
May 1st, but it’s interesting to see this extent of foreplay on the
wintering ground. I've never heard (or seen) inland Savannah Sparrows sing
in Santa Barbara County.
Also present were Horned Lark (one male with a female carrying a wad of
grasses) and 2 Grasshopper Sparrows, each in different places.
No cattle were seen on either the south or north sides of Armour Ranch Rd.
The lack of a grazer will result in an abundance of dense grasses and
probably the call for mowing, if fire does not reduce the grasses first.
