[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

flycatcher comments & questions.




Hi Carolinabirders,
	I just wanted to say thanks to Harry and Jeff Pippen for finding the bird
and to all of you who listed it every day when you saw it.  This gave Gary
Phillips and myself every reason to expect that we would see it yesterday.
It was a pleasure to be in the company of such nice people, that share your
passion for birding and birds.  It was great to at last meet Josh Rose and
I want to thank him for the directions. I made my way out of that paper bag
and found Jordan Lake and the flycatcher spot.  I do however want to
caution folks that when Josh says "several miles" -several includes the
integer 15. And yes Harry you were correct, I was out of my habitat, but
then so was the flycatcher. When I wander from the Grand Strand to see a
western stray and I get it, I tell my non-birding spouse - "See I just
saved about $1500, I didn't have to go to California".
	And what a striking beautiful flycatcher that bird was.  It was so vivid.
I had good looks from as close as 10 feet.  Now for some comments and
questions.  All the field guides I have here at home, (Nat. Geo 2nd & 3 rd
edition, Golden with the cream cover and Audubon Master Guide (photo) do
this bird justice)  They don't show the plumage I saw yesterday.  And have
I figured it out?  In the Ken Kaufman"s Master Guide to birding he says,
"Western flycatchers molt after arriving on their wintering grounds (a
complete molt in adults ..."  So the reason the field guides don't show
that plumage of Pacific Slope Flycatcher is because that bird would not be
expected in N.A. in that plumage. Is that correct?  Does wear account for
that kind of drabness in the field guides? 
	The bird I saw was bright olive green on the back had a narrow kind of
orangy eye ring that only at times suggested a teardrop at the auricular
edge. The bill appeared short and pudgy at the base with the lower mandible
just about all yellowish-orange while the upper mandible was a dark horn
color.  The tail appeared a bit on the short side and the primary extension
was short. The underparts were a bright diffuse yellow.  Three things I
noticed that I can't remember being mentioned are: the bird always drooped
its wings when perched, like thrushes do.  When it flew it sort of
scrampled when it landed turning its body and flicking its wings.  Thirdly,
there was a noticeably brighter yellow (like French's yellow mustard)streak
down the center of the underparts only noticeable when you had the bird
directly facing you.  A paler rendition of this streak appears in the
Master Guide to Birding-book 2. 
Isn't it great when you get your life western bird here in the east.

	"Don't forget sometimes you have to look up."

   
Jack Peachey
Conway,SC
ppaw@sccoast.net