ML501347261

Observation details

Refound the bird reported by Deanna Nichols earlier in the day. It was perched conspicuously (and calling constantly) at the top of a large bare cottonwood in the bosque just southeast of the Tingley Fishing Ponds about halfway between the bike path and the souteastern most bosque pond (here: 35.0804512, -106.6700406). The bird eventually flew more or less straight north across Tingley Drive and into Rio Grande Park (~here: 35.0828425, -106.6694845) where I heard it a few more times just after sunset before it presumably settled in for the night. The bird was calling nearly constantly giving repetitive loud “pip” calls. This was a large dull flycatcher essentially all gray-brown with a tall shaggy crest and long wings. The bird’s bill was very long, and flat with an obvious hook on the top of the maxilla. The maxilla was dark and the mandible was dusky orange (showing quite bright with sun behind it but when it wasn’t backlit the lower bill was rather duller than I’m used to with this species). The only remotely similar species would be a Wood-Pewee but the large shaggy crest, very long bill, large size, and loud repetitive pip calls all rule out any other pewee. Photos and recordings will be added soon.