ML620934632
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Observation details
I began hearing the distinctive, “pip” calls of the continuing flycatcher shortly after we arrived at the Champion Lodgepole Pine west of Bluff Lake. We had to work through the forest before we eventually managed to see this bird foraging among the Lodgepole Pines and White Firs at the edge of the meadow west of the pine. Although this bird moved primarily about the middle and upper levels of the trees, it did descend to the lower branches at one point, and the others even saw it drop to the ground. In addition to the standard “pip” calls that we heard at first, this bird also gave a more distinctive sound that I described as a sneezy, “chiz-bit” that I suspect represented a song element even though we never heard this bird give a full song. I suspect this element is analogous to the “du-hick” call of a Dusky Flycatcher. Typical of an Empidonax, this bird sallied about, perching on exposed branches between short flights, and although it did perch for short periods, it was sufficiently active that it was difficult to photograph, especially given that it spent most of its time above us and in the shade. This was a small flycatcher with a compact body, a relatively short bill, and what appeared to be moderately long wings, but given that I spent much of my time trying to get photos and that I did not have my scope, my views were more sufficient to noting the overall patterns of the structure and plumage patterns than the finer details. I thought the bill was short and relatively slim, but I did not compare its length to field-marks on the face or attempt to compare its length to the width at the base. This said, my photos do appear to show a small hook to the tip of the bill, something that I failed altogether to note in the field. The forehead appeared to be relatively steep and the crown appeared to be more rounded than peaked, but given that I was looking up at the bird, it was difficult to discern the precise shape of the head. I further thought the head was large for the bird’s size, that the neck was short and stout, and that the body was plump, full-chested, and with a posture that was more upright than diagonal with the tail held downward in the plane of the body. I did not see this bird flick its wings or tail, but I recall hearing either Afable or Dean saying that it flicked the tail upward. Others also mentioned that the tail seemed long, but my impression was that was more of medium length even though I failed to compare its length to that of the body. Similarly, I thought the primary projection seemed long, but I failed both to compare its length relative to the exposed secondaries or note where the wingtips fell relative to the undertail coverts. I have little doubt that I saw the legs and feet, but I now seem to have no recollection whatsoever about them. My views of the plumage patterns were similarly superficial as those of the structure. This bird appeared to be a relatively dark olive color overall and, at least in the shade, it did not appear to have a conspicuously more grayish head or paler underparts. I did note a narrow eyering that was sharply demarcated and seemingly whitish to pale gray in color, but I did not notice if it expanded behind the eye. The dark olive color of the face seemed to blend into a more grayish throat, but the throat did not stand out as all that much paler than either the face or the breast, which seemed to be about the same shade of olive as the head. In fact, I thought the breast, sides, and flanks were rather uniformly dark olive and contrasting rather sharply with a rather narrow wedge of yellowish that extended up the center of the belly to approximately the junction of the lower breast and upper belly. The underparts did not appear appreciably paler than the upperparts, which gave this bird a rather uniform overall appearance. I cannot recall noting the color or pattern on the undertail coverts or the underside of the tail. Returning to the upperparts, I noted little or no contrast between the head, neck, and upperparts, all of which were a dark olive in color. The wings contrasted as darker than the body, but I thought they were dark brown as opposed to blackish. I further noted pale gray tips to the greater and median coverts that produced two wingbars that appeared to extend straight across the wing, but I cannot recall if the pale fringes extended inward along the edges of these feathers. The remiges likewise had pale edges that were sharply demarcated, but also relatively narrow, albeit broader on the innermost secondaries. I further noted that the exposed wingtips were dark brown and lacking obvious markings, but I cannot remember if the bases of the primaries had paler edges. I cannot now recall if I ever clearly saw the upperside of the tail, but if I did, it did not appear to contrast as conspicuously different from the closed wings. I thought the bill was mostly dark, but I cannot now recall if the lower mandible was obviously paler basally, and although I am confident that the eyes were dark, I could not discern the precise color of the irides. As suggested above, I cannot remember the color of the legs or feet.
Technical information
- Model
- ILCE-7RM5
- Lens
- FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
- ISO
- 1600
- Focal length
- 600 mm
- Flash
- Flash did not fire
- f-stop
- f/6.3
- Shutter speed
- 1/200 sec
- Dimensions
- 3728 pixels x 2293 pixels
- Original file size
- 14.06 MB