ML646431652

Observation details

Continuing. Found on Nov 27 by BreeAnn Crofts, refound and identified this morning by Mark and Janet Scheel. I had made a half-hearted attempt to try to find this bird on Dec 1, but did not have time to hike much farther past the ranger station before sunset that evening. Knowing where to look made it much easier to refind today, and I was able to locate it in the pines and oaks of the Fireman's Flat picnic area, very close to where the Scheels had it in the morning. This area around the Nature center would be a good place to look for the bird, particularly in the afternoon, with tall conifers and oaks providing good habitat and sunlight lingers here late compared to the west wall of the canyon. Drab Contopus flycatcher. Only the merest hint of a vest, but brown overall, with square tail, and conspicuous broad and long bill with entirely pale lower mandible. Calling "pip pip pip pip" like Olive-sided Flycatcher but I was surprised by how extended the series of calls was -- sometimes lasting several minutes on end (see recordings). Vocal both before and after local sunset, until 4:51 pm