ML612776193
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
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Observation details
Pretty tough bird. Would definitely recommend being here at first thing as they started calling at maybe 730 and shut up by 9 or so. I would also recommend walking down into the brush and hanging out at various spots because they tend to move around a bit, but quietly so you'll have a much better chance seeing them if you're down on their level rather than 150' above them. Had two main vocalizations, the classic "wheeet!" call and a stuttery forced prrr-drr-t call, this latter seemed to be a contact call between the two of them when they interacted. First heard this latter call, and it was a little to the west of the actual overlook, towards the big cottonwood here 29°10'08.1"N 103°36'19.1"W, so we walked over around the ravine to the west to be closer. Heard it again including the "wheep!" call and I actually saw one perched for a second low in the brush. We were easily able to walk down the ravine where I got decent recordings of both of them getting in a fight it sounded like and where Mary and Ashley got great pics and looks at one as it was quietly and inconspicuously foraging very low in the tamarisk and mesquite, but I didn't get good looks at all. They headed back at this point, and I was fairly happy with hearing the diagnostic calls but I wanted a better look, so I continued to follow the bird as it moved back to the east towards the large green tree (not sure what kind) directly underneath the overlook itself here 29°10'05.2"N 103°36'16.8"W. It would call occasionally and I was actually able to continue to detect its presence by hearing the decently loud flutter of wings as it flycatched or changed positions in the dense brush. Stayed pretty low and out of sight for the most part. Got ok looks at it here, and heard them both again, before they both flew towards the canyon, but stayed in the brushy area. I walked over through the cow paths (decently easy to do, but some bush-whacking required) and saw one perched up here 29°10'04.9"N 103°36'19.4"W where I FINALLY got good close looks. It was perched up in a dead tree, and then flew down into the understory where it was sometimes visible, but mostly hidden as it sat still for 30-40 seconds and then flew to a new perch with the fairly loud/obvious wing flutter noise. Got great looks as it perched in the open at one point, this was when I got all the pics/videos the other ones didn't really turn out. Seemed smaller and daintier than ATFL, more compact, not as lanky and long-necked but this could have been the cold I guess. Maybe smaller-billed as well, had a darker face, not as pale below with definitely a warmer yellow on the belly, rufous edgings on primaries and rufous/yellow/white edgings on the secondaries, with the secondary closest to the primaries edged solid rufous. One of the pics kind of shows the tail pattern, but I was able to see in the field that the tip was not dark like in ATFL but red/rufous color clearly came down to the tip of the tail. Didn't get any pics, but I saw a hint of the orange mouth lining as it was snapping at a bug. Very relieved to get them! State bird, US bird, one of my fave flycatchers for sure see https://ebird.org/checklist/S123912759 for my last good encounter with this species down in Mexico.
Technical information
- Camera
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 28.51 MB