A volunteer sapling and definitely not a specimen planted by humans, at this location.
Lake Natoma.
After-hours permit graciously provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The second picture presents a direct side-by-side comparison of E. californicalis and E. ocellea (3 individuals each; all observed at the same place and night) as I currently understand it. The main difference is the location of the dark line (marked by a red arrow in the top photos) within the surrounding white field. (Please, note though that there is no guarantee for this to work, and there seem to be counterexamples on BOLD.)
Based on this ID method, I have found E. californicalis only in one small area (Yolo Bypass) where others also have seen it. In contrast, E. ocellea is much more broadly distributed.
Yellow-shouldered or Black-footed?
Snipes-Pershing Ravine.
Five petals
Purple
Found on the Orangevale Buffs overlooking Lake Natoma in grass. This is also an oak woodland and is growing in full sun.
Note : on the record to be growing
in this area.
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/new_detail.pl?CDA41500
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=38516
The call note of this bird, which was among with Purple Finches, was indistinguishable from Purple Finch. Note that the thick blurry brown streaks on the underparts are like those in Western Purple Finch. However the tone, distribution, and intensities of the red on this bird match Cassin's Finch instead. Cassin's has a longer, straighter, more pointed bill than Purple, and the bill on this bird appears intermediate. Note the culmen is less rounded, and the bill is longer than in House Finch or most Purple Finches. House Finch may never show pink on the wing coverts like this bird, and the red pattern does not fit. This bird is either a very aberrant Purple Finch, or more likely, a hybrid Purple X Cassin's Finch, which has rarely been reported. Compared to the adjacent Purple Finch photo, taken at the same time and place.
Orlando Wetlands Park
Picture shared by Larry Hickey