ML619317737

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Rare spring migrant, more often detected in fall (September) than spring. Calling and singing *sporadically* from the Outer Forest Loop (OFL) between 8:21 and 11:29 a.m. (3+ hours!). I initially detected the bird at OFL 12 (OFL 11-13): 35.1458595, -89.9860978. Was still present an hour later, at 9:27 and 9:34, but shifted farther towards the east (OFL 22): 35.1449466, -89.9854336. After a long period without any vocalizations, PJ, Andrew, and I then “refound” it singing at 10:39 a.m., pretty close to where we had last detected it (we eventually got a visual at OFL 20). The last songs were heard from 11:16-17 and 11:21-29 a.m. (OFL 22). So the area between OFL 20 and OFL 22 seemed to be the best bet for this bird in the mid- to late morning. It was very difficult to see, let alone see well, as it stayed hidden in the midstory of the tallest trees or canopies of the more modest ones. Even when we knew where it was (or should be), it seemed to remain motionless for long stretches. Despite eventually getting pretty good recordings, Merlin never identified the song or calls as Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and, in fact, misidentified the very first recording of a "turwee" as an Eastern Wood-Pewee. Weirdly, while on the subject, Merlin kept suggesting a Red-winged Blackbird (7x during a 1:40 recording in the middle of the forest). I think it must have been picking up on something at the start of a cardinal song (??). In the past 4.5 years (2020-2024), there's only been 6 other records in the county (and just two other in springtime): 18 May 2024 (yesterday at Shelby Forest) 27 May 2020 (Collierville backyard) 11 Sep 2022 (Robbins-Halle Nature Reserve) 19-23 Sep 2023 (Mid-South Raptor Center) 28 Sep 2023 (University of Memphis) 1 Oct 2022 (Shelby Forest) So far this spring, these two Shelby Co. birds are the only Yellow-bellied Flycatchers in Tennessee away from Radnor Lake SP in Nashville.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Lens

EF400mm f/5.6L USM

ISO

2000

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.3

Shutter speed

1/125 sec

Dimensions

2785 pixels x 2009 pixels

Original file size

2.94 MB