ML239610881

Observation details

Heard a quiet whit, whit, whit which sounded to me like Willow. Turned on audio recorder and found emp about eye level in lowest branch of a pine tree, in the flood basin which currently has tall grass and nearby shrubs. Yellow belly, gray vest and white throat. Orange short emp-like bill, bright orange from below. Photos show short-moderate round wing tips, and two bold wingbars. It appears to have an eyering. Head rounded, with little to no peak. I did not see any other angles beyond what is seen in the attached photos. EAWP is ruled out by short bill and wingtips, clean undertail coverts. YBFC ruled out by white throat and very different sound. Alder ruled out by whit sound. WIllow ruled out by eye ring and short bill and wingtips. I originally thought Least was ruled out by apparent shallow forehead angle and the whit sound. Upon further reading I learned that a Least Flycatcher also has a whit sound. An article by Cin-Ty Lee states that this is a very common sound, although I have not been able yet to find a good example of it online. Several local experts think the bird appears most like Least. Audio recording of whits is attached, unfortunately with significant wind noise. Sound was clearer live. However, the dry vertical whit matches the MacCauley library #2, 1999