[TN-Bird] Re: Murfree Spring Wetland - odd [Yellow-bellied?] flycatcher

  • From: kbreault <kbreault@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: hyla514@xxxxxxxxx, tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, terrywitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2011 15:45:57 -0700 (PDT)

Hi Daniel,
Heard to say since you think "what-cheer" is similar to a Yellow-bellied.  But 
given all the info. I would suggest you were looking at a Willow.  Both the 
song 
(and call) are more similar than "what-cheer" than any other flycatcher, and a 
somewhat aberant sounding Willow would be more likely than any of the others.  
However, take a listen to a recording of the Yellow-bellied and if you still 
think it sounds like your bird I would certainly go with that.
Kevin Breault
Brentwood, TN




________________________________
From: Terry Witt <terrywitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: hyla514@xxxxxxxxx
Cc: tn-bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, August 9, 2011 5:01:52 PM
Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Murfree Spring Wetland - odd [Yellow-bellied?] flycatcher


Hi Daniel

I have seen YB Flycatcher in Mboro a few times but not at Discovery Center yet. 
 It is a rare to uncommon migrant around here, though part of that may be due 
to 
difficulty in identifying silent birds, and the fact that it is frequently 
rather difficult to see well.  In addition, most singing birds are seen in 
spring, and are late migrants when there are fewer birders in the field.  The 
habitat at Discovery Center does offer a fine place for one to show up, and 
sooner or later I expect to see one there.  I have seen Willow, Least, and 
Olive-sided there in the past.   In addition, there is an old record from 
Nashville for YB Flycatcher from August 8!  What I don't like is the 
vocalization.  YB Flycatcher gives a call not unlike a Least Flycatcher, a 2 
note Chbek, not quite as abrupt.  The song is reminiscent of the first past of 
E 
Wood Pewee.  Neither of these match at all what you heard, I don't have a clue 
as to your birds identity.  Perhaps someone else may offer an idea 

Cheers

Terry Witt


Murfreesboro Tn




________________________________
From: Daniel Estabrooks <hyla514@xxxxxxxxx>
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, August 9, 2011 11:29:23 AM
Subject: [TN-Bird] Murfree Spring Wetland - odd [Yellow-bellied?] flycatcher


8/9/11
Murfree Spring Wetland
Rutherford Co. 

With about an hour of free time at my disposal yesterday, I did a quick 
run-through of the wetland around the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro, on the 
off chance that I might run into something of interest. As it turns out, I did 
see an odd flycatcher that was giving a very loud call that sounded a little 
bit 
like the classic "what-cheer" call you'd hear from a cardinal. (The "ch" sound 
in the middle was not as pronounced as a cardinal though, if that makes any 
sense.) Anyway, I listened to the call for several minutes and ignored it, 
assuming that it was just a cardinal.

In any case, I saw the bird for about a minute from the back before it flew 
away. It had strong wing bars and generally looked like a pewee, but the 
primary 
projection seemed too short for a pewee and I've never heard a pewee give a 
call 
like that. Upon consultation of a few field guides, I see that Yellow-bellied 
Flycatcher (a bird I have zero personal experience with) gives a similar call 
to 
what I heard. I'm just curious if anyone has seen yellow-bellies at the wetland 
before and/or if the timing is even right for a migrant yellow-belly to be 
here. 
I apologize for my ignorance. I'm a western birder who hasn't quite figured out 
all the eastern birds that people around here probably take for granted :-)

Daniel Estabrooks 

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