Jack,
Your bird is a Willow Flycatcher. Note the massive bill that has an almost
entirely light lower mandible; just a hint of an eyering (unlike the large
football shaped one that a "Western" Flycatcher would have; and the incredibly
short primary projection.
It would be impossible to identify an empid as a "Cordilleran" if it was
silent. "Cordilleran" and "Pacific-slope" Flycatchers used to be considered
one species, the Western Flycatcher. They are identical except for voice.
Most advanced birders in the northwest think they should be re-lumped. Most of
these "Western" Flycatchers that have been recorded in Oregon are found to have
characteristics of both songs. I have personally heard birds that alternately
gave the male position note of both species. Pure "Cordilleran" Flycatchers
are incredibly rare in Oregon, if they exist at all. I am told that there is a
sharper division between the two in the southern part of their range, like
Arizona.
Interestingly, I spent a lot of time birding in the Pullman, WA / Moscow, ID
area over the last 7 years. Birders on the Washington side of the line
invariably listed the birds they saw as Pacific-slope Flycatchers, while those
7 miles away in Moscow listed theirs as Cordillerans. I would be surprised if
these aren't lumped sometime in the next decade.
Tom Crabtree, Bend
-----Original Message-----
From: obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:obol-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of ;
Jack Daynes
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2017 4:18 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: [obol] 2017-08-29 On The Road To Malheur NWR
Greetings from a traveling nature lover,
There are a lot of images connected with this story, one I could use some help
with.
There were two “happy accidents” on my early morning shoot at the visitor
center’s pond. One was a Barn Swallow that flew into the frame while working on
a Spotted Sandpiper. The other was a Wilson’s Snipe that did likewise when I
was working on Mule Deer. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
At the Visitor Center I encountered a small flycatcher, always a challenge for
me to identify. Reviewing the images, I’ve called this bird a Cordilleran
Flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis), but if I have the ID right, it would be a
bird that failed to read the range maps.
Willow Flycatcher would be a better call for the location, but I couldn’t get
comfortable making that call. Perhaps someone with better skills than me could
shed some light.
https://shadetreeimaging.com/2017-08-29-on-the-road-to-malheur-nwr/
Be well,
--
-- Jack --
==================================
<http://shadeTree-imaging.com/>
Wildlife Photography with
Emphasis on Birds
==================================
858-442-1907
Poway, California (San Diego Co.)
N 32° 57' W 117° 04'
At 508' Elevation
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