Missy and I were birding our butts off yesterday in Owyhee County when at 1225 hrs, coolish 64F and partly cloudy, at 6000 ft in mixed conifer (Doug Fir, Ponderosa, etc?) I came to a screeching halt and we jumped out of the car with cameras rolling and ready to get a GPS reading….. I was hearing a perfect-to-my-ears Grace’s wobbler singing right next to the road. This species had been recently expanding northward both in UT and CO, which you won’t see in most field guides, but in eBird I was surprised at How Far North !!! anyway, it turned out to be a Junco, but I’m still flabbergasted by how similar it sounded, and I’m talking about Song Detail………
Cool observation, Brian. I’d suggest that this bird probably was an early fall (southbound) migrant. In other parts of the interior west, including much further south (Arizona and New Mexico), southbound migrant rufous (typically beginning with adult males) routinely arrive around the final week of June. The first southbound shorebirds (usually beginning with Phalaropes, Tringa sandpipers, and peeps) should also begin to appear any day. “Fall” migration begins in late June after about 10 slow days in the middle of the month.
Just had a bright male Rufous Hummingbird with flashing gorget come into feeder, twice. Has happened before this time of yr, but not often. More of a fall migrant (late Aug/early Sept) for our river location.
Since warmer weather is heading our way, and breeding season is coming to an end, I’m assuming that my daily numbers are going to decline, but it’s been a good run. The last time I missed identifying at least 40 species was May 8, just before Mother’s Day. Since then I’ve had 4 days of 50+, including today’s ride with 57 birds. Of course the biggest days usually meant a longer ride, and today’s was 25 miles, but a great day. I even got to bird with Larry Arnold! And today included 6 raptors: BAEA, RTHA, AMKE, SWHA, OSPR, and COHA. The Swainson’s flew over my back yard as I was finishing dinner.
I’m hoping I’m wrong about diminishing numbers, but just being on my bike and looking for birds is a pleasant relief from the craziness that surrounds our daily lives.
Welcome to flycatcher jeopardy. The only way I’ve been able to identify the smaller fly catchers is by recording their sound. I’ve even seen them today on nests in northern Gem County and couldn’t identify them without a recording.
