This Morning @ Col Sam Smith Park - May 23rd

[Palo]

Hi Folks,

Here are new ones for me and thanks again to a couple of fellow birders for their help in IDing the birds.  Enjoy

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 2013-05-23 Col Sam Smith Park


It doesn't show up well in the photos but it's belly and throat were yellowish.  Confirmed by two others.


Alder Flycatcher? I was looking at it's shorter bill with a distinctly pale lower mandible.  Please correct if wrong.




Swainson's Thrush




Gray Catbird - Not new, but it's the first time I can see the "Chestnut undertail coverts".




Thx for watching

[thouc]

The flycatchers in pictures 1-4 look the same to me. It has long wings and a very long primary projection (the length difference between the outer and inner parts of the wing), which would indicate Acadian Flycatcher. As always voice is important to distinguish between the Empidonax flycatchers.

/Thomas

[Palo]

Thanks very much Thomas!  The first two photos are of the same bird and was confirmed also by it's song.  But, it could be wrong.  Photos 3 and 4 could indeed be the same bird as 1 and 2, but it appeared subtly different to us at the time and it did not sing.  To make things more difficult, the sun-light through the leaves cast a greenish hue on both Flycatchers, messing up their true colours and I'm not skilled enough to adjust my white balance to compensate for this.  However, your point on wing length/proportions is excellent!  I will be looking out for this from now on.  Thanks again for your help, it's very appreciated.

[thouc]

Song goes ahead of any visual clues for ID'ing these guys! The wing in picture 2 looks very similar to the wing in picture 3 and 4 and everything else looks pretty much the same too so I'd say it's all the same species.

[Palo]

Excellent Thomas, thx again!  Cheers