ML614017757
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Observation details
One bird noticed perching on power lines that run parallel to Bayou la Loutre while driving west-bound on Florissant Hwy from the end of the world. Thought it may be some flavor of myiarchus flycatcher; all I saw was a yellow belly while at speed, but made a split second decision to pull off on the virtually non-existent shoulder to get out and hopefully not die walking back for it. Walked about 950 feet back to where I saw it (29.853286, -89.712549) and it started to get very excitable as I approached, which is when I realized there were actually two of them, one in an oak tree overhanging the bayou and the other still on the power line. Pausing to look at the exposed bird, I saw its all-gray head and realized I was dealing with some other tyrant flycatcher. All bright yellow belly and chest. Head light gray with smudge of dark running through eye. Beak stout. Back green. Could not see any white framing on rects. Both birds gave intermittent 'pik' calls, spaced out like Couch's instead of a trill. Struggled for probably half an hour trying to get some decent pictures of either of them. The bird in the tree flew across the road, and out of sight for awhile, though it continued calling, before eventually returning and sitting on the power line like the first after I had already taken some pictures. The initial bird on the wire was slightly more cooperative with perching in the open, though frequently changed perches. Pictures taken with cellphone at 2x digital magnification through binoculars. Took a brief sound recording to double check later, which confirms Couch's. Addendum: It took me a month, but I finally figured out a way to break audio apart from this stupid proprietary software.
Technical information
- Recorder
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 348.04 KB