[birding] Dusky Flycatcher at E.E. Wilson

[rich armstrong]

1. i rushed out there before 1230 and nanette could not make it till 115 and 
then i had a meeting downtown at 230.
2. in 45 minutes it rained 4 different times and i saw nothing - not even a 
flycatcher i could misidentify.
3. then nanette got there and the rain stopped and a flycatcher was right 
there near pole 6.
4. it was low at 1st and moved a lot. we saw all the field marks reasonably 
well and we are confident it was a DUSKY FLYCATCHER. i am certainly not sure 
we could have completely eliminated hammond's if we had found it on our own, 
but with joel's id help we finally have dusky flycatcher for benton county 
after i think 5 other chases.
5. thank you joel as we finally got to 240!
Rich Armstrong
541-753-1978
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joel Geier" <joel.geier at peak.org>
To: "MidValley Birds" <birding at midvalleybirding.org>
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 11:45 AM
Subject: [birding] Dusky Flycatcher at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area


> Hi all,
>
> Just back from a quick late-morning walk across the highway to E.E.
> Wilson Wildlife Area. The most notable bird was a migrant DUSKY
> FLYCATCHER in almost the same place where I encountered one last spring:
> 6 to 7 utility poles straight south of the skeet range, in the willows
> and low brush next to the "stream" on the west side of the road. Last
> year's bird was by the 5th pole but the willows in that area have been
> whacked back quite a bit.
>
> I watched the bird for about 15 minutes to confirm: complete white
> eye-ring, short primary projection (compared with visible secondaries
> for scale), longish tail, lower mandible of bill mostly dark, too long
> and bit too wide at the base for a Hammond's Flycatcher, eventually
> started giving distinctive "whit" and "twip!" calls (the easiest way to
> locate the bird). Foraging within 2 to 5 ft of the ground most of the
> time, occasionally up to 8 or 10 ft. Pretty clear white wing bars &
> visibly contrasting edges on primaries, but not so bright as a Least
> Flycatcher. Somewhat crested toward back of head.
>
> Other interesting birds on the wildlife area included a GREAT EGRET on
> the same scrape pond that continues to host a GREATER YELLOWLEGS and a
> SOLITARY SANDPIPER (throw in a nearby WILSON'S SNIPE and KILLDEER and
> that's still my whole "motorless" shorebird list for the year), and a
> lingering HERMIT THRUSH where I was hoping for a Swainson's Thrush,
> hanging out with WILSON'S WARBLERS on the south end of the big oak grove
> in the south end.
>
> Happy birding,
> Joel
>
> --
> Joel Geier
> Camp Adair area north of Corvallis
>
>
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