This looks like a Hammond’s (rather long primary projection, looks like a rather short bill).
John Shortis.
On Monday, September 11, 2023 at 11:28:19 AM MDT, Robert Kiernan <photobirder@…> wrote:
Good advice Heidi!
Thanks,
John
On Monday, September 11, 2023 at 09:03:25 AM MDT, Heidi Ware Carlisle <heidithebirdnerd@…> wrote:
In general I advise folks to use other ID cues first before tail dropping.
It’s tough until you’ve seen a for-sure Gray Flycatcher tail dropping because many other empids, especially Dusky, do a lot of tail flicking that could be interpreted as tail dropping. There are many Dusky features that vary enough to overlap with Gray pretty frequently which makes separating those two especially tough.
In the case of Willow vs Gray though I would hope that the very brown body (vs gray) and very wide pale bill (vs narrow with a dark tip) would help.
Based on photos in eBird there was definitely a Gray Flycatcher at Blacks Creek. Nice to have good documentation this year!
And one of the Gray Flycatchers at Blacks Creek did not have a tail 🙂
On Sep 11, 2023, at 9:03 AM, Heidi Ware Carlisle <heidithebirdnerd@…> wrote:
In general I advise folks to use other ID cues first before tail dropping.
It’s tough until you’ve seen a for-sure Gray Flycatcher tail dropping because many other empids, especially Dusky, do a lot of tail flicking that could be interpreted as tail dropping. There are many Dusky features that vary enough to overlap with Gray pretty frequently which makes separating those two especially tough.
In the case of Willow vs Gray though I would hope that the very brown body (vs gray) and very wide pale bill (vs narrow with a dark tip) would help.
Based on photos in eBird there was definitely a Gray Flycatcher at Blacks Creek. Nice to have good documentation this year!
Hi birders all,
I just wanted to make an observation following the sightings of a Gray Flycatcher at Blacks Creek Reservoir by several birders recently.
I have seen at least Willow Flycatchers exhibiting rather similar tail movements that characterize Gray.
I just wonder if this can be fully relied upon to id the latter.
Any thoughts?
John Shortis.
Ken Miracle
chukar28@…
208-570-2780
“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” 2COR 3:5
In general I advise folks to use other ID cues first before tail dropping.
It’s tough until you’ve seen a for-sure Gray Flycatcher tail dropping because many other empids, especially Dusky, do a lot of tail flicking that could be interpreted as tail dropping. There are many Dusky features that vary enough to overlap with Gray pretty frequently which makes separating those two especially tough.
In the case of Willow vs Gray though I would hope that the very brown body (vs gray) and very wide pale bill (vs narrow with a dark tip) would help.
Based on photos in eBird there was definitely a Gray Flycatcher at Blacks Creek. Nice to have good documentation this year!
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