ML619975577

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

While recording a Gray Hawk calling, Merlin picked up this species. I ignored it. A few minutes later I saw the back a thrush, and it turned around, giving a quick view of its face and breast with buffy spots, before it took off going upstream. My initial impression is a Swainson’s, but have seen and heard Hermits in the fall and winter. Minutes later encounters it again, leapfrogging with me on either side of the creek. Recalling what Merlin picked up, I decided to play Gray-cheeked calls from Sibley, “Call 1 and Flight Call”. It responded immediately and flew 10 feet in front of me and started call. Recorded the attached audio at 09:17Hrs here 32.905° N, -110.563° W, high-pitched pz’eers. Camera was in the backpack. Then it flew off downstream. I tried playing Swainson’s calls, no response. Then played the calls recorded in Alaska from Merlin, and it responded. On the returned to the trailhead, I had my camera with damaged lens mount ready. Played the calls from Sibley and it responded here: 32.90434° N, 110.56438° W. Photos, adjusting only exposure and brightness, show faint or no eye ring depending on bird’s posture compared to Swainson’s or Hermit, no rufous on primaries or tail, and grayer face. Comparable spotting to Swainson’s, but photos show flanks are darker green/gray than rufous of a Swainson’s.

Technical information

Model

E-M1X

Lens

OLYMPUS M.300mm F4.0

ISO

640

Focal length

300 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/4.5

Shutter speed

1/640 sec

Dimensions

2978 pixels x 2234 pixels

Original file size

3.95 MB