Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Lawrence's Goldfinch
Scientific name:	Spinus lawrencei
Date:	November 1, 2024
Time:	2:40 PM
Length of time observed:	10 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	Male
Location:	Tonaquint Cemetery, St. George
County:	Washington
Latilong:	St. George
Elevation:	2861
Distance to bird:	10 feet to 25 feet
Optical equipment:	8 x 43 Zen Ray binoculars, and a Nikon D 850 camera
Weather:	sunny
Light Conditions:	bright light conditions, bird was front lit.
Description: Size of bird:	small finch size bird
(Description:) Basic Shape:	small passerine, finch shape
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	yellow, gray, and black, and
(Description:) Bill Type:	conical finch bill.
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I was able to get my first identifiable looks at a male Lawrence's Goldfinch in an ornamental tree in the cemetery. I first noticed a lemon yellow chest with gray tones touching the yellow on the chest. I then noticed the black face and knew I was dealing with a Lawrence Goldfinch. I then got nearly ten more minutes of being able to view it. I noticed the lemon yellow on the primary and secondaries, and the black wing tips.I noticed a gray back, and while looking at photos I noticed some slight yellowing to the back. The nape up into the crown was gray, where it would switch over to black at the front of the crown and on the face. The belly was gray and the under tail coverts were light. I couldn't tell if they were white, or a light gray. It also had a finch conical bill that looked grayish as well. It was a small bird, and was smaller than nearby House Finches and Yellow-rumped Warblers. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	I heard it give a call when it would fly that sounded metalic and high pitched, and some light high pitch chattering sounds while it was perched. I did not record any audio.
Behavior:	It initially was on the grass feeding under an ornamental tree that reminded me of a mountain ash with small berries. It then flew up into the tree mentioned where I got my first good looks at it. It perched and hopped around in the tree along with House Finches, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. It then flew and perched in a nearby Sycamore type tree. It then flew north. I then tried to relocate it and waited for my husband to arrive with a camera. While we were walking around we heard it make the metallic tink flight call as it flew into the tree it started off in. It bounced around in there slowly and jumped into another nearby tree while it made the light high pitch chattering sounds. Mike was able to photograph it this time before it would fly north again. It would repeat the behavior of coming back to the tree again and flying north before it wasn't able to be relocated by other birders or me as night started to end.
Habitat:	manicured lawn, and ornamental trees in a cemetery.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	The main other species that might be mistaken for this bird are other finches with yellow and black, mainly American and Lesser Goldfinch. American Goldfinch was eliminated because of the black face and front of crown. An American Goldfinch would not display black on the face at the beginning of November, and also it doesn't show prominent yellow in the primary and secondaries of the wing. Also the back would be more of a tan or brown tone, vs a gray tone. Lesser Goldfinch was eliminated by the bill color, the gray on the belly and back, and gray surrounding the yellow on the chest would not be seen on a Lesser Goldfinch. Also the black on the crown would extend all the way, where this only covered the front of the crown and onto the face, which wouldn't be seen on a Lesser Goldfinch. Also a Lesser Goldfinch should have yellow under tail coverts, where the Lawrence has light undertail coverts.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have seen them in California previously.
References consulted:	memory, Sibley, Ebird
Description from:	Notes made later From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	KC Childs
Observer's address:	Orem, UT
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Michael Morrell
Date prepared:	November 4, 2024
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	I emailed photos of the birds separately.