ML260435481

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

(Description by Zane): First heard a "whit"ing empid and then located it low in some willows at (38.4769742, -121.5544329). The “whit”ing sounded dryer/shorter than I am used to for WIFL (more DUFL/GRFL like). I tried to get Emmett on the bird but he only got a very brief view at first. My overall impression was of a very dark and contrasty empid with a completely circular and rather bold white eyering and light lores. It had a bright white throat contrasting with the dark head. The primary extension was not readily visible but did not seem too long. The tail was of moderate length. Most notable was the wing which was black, with two bold and contrasty wingbars. Overall the bird seemed very round and chunky with a big blocky head. It seemed smaller than a WIFL (which I saw many of today), but there were no HAFL around to compare it with. Lastly, I noted in photos the yellow-orange lower mandible on an otherwise short black bill. After researching and consulting with many others on this bird, the consensus is Least Flycatcher. Below I have attempted to describe how I eliminated other possibilities. WIFL eliminated by the overall contrast and the black wings, as well as the bold eyering. The light lores also immediately felt off for WIFL. Lastly, the "whit" call was what originally tipped me off to this bird. I had been hearing WIFL "whits" all morning and this struck me as different. WIFL "whits" sound longer and "wetter" to me, yet this was a dry, sharp "whit" reminiscent of DUFL/GRFL. I am not at all convinced that "whits" can be reliably separated nor do I consider myself to have enough experience to do so, but that is what first got my attention on this bird. HAFL was more or less ruled out by the "whit" call, and then also by the bright, contrasty, wing bars, shortish primary extension, and yellow lower mandible. DUFL should have buffier wingbars and a longer tail, and to me seem elongated and slim (DUFL feel longer/stretched to me, this bird felt round/fat like a LEFL should in my opinion). The extensive yellow/orange on the lower mandible rules out DUFL as well. I took a few photos from the first time it was seen and they are included here, only cropped with no light or color adjustments. I first had the bird around 8:00am, and Emmett got on the bird briefly at the that time. It then disappeared for an hour or so before giving one more brief set of views around 9:15am, where a few others (including Holly and Bart Wickel (some more photos are here in his list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S73232639)) were able to see it. Super stoked for this find!!!!!!

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF400mm f/5.6L USM

ISO

1250

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/640 sec

Dimensions

1139 pixels x 814 pixels

Original file size

705.97 KB