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Posted by Ken Schneider on 21:05:43 04/14/11
Earlier I posted my sighting of a Least Flycatcher and did not realize it would raise a red flag with eBird. Here is my description, but I welcome any other views:
Here is a photo I took this morning of the Empid that I am quite certain is a Least Flycatcher. It did not vocalize, so I based my ID on its small size, short wings, very conspicuous eye ring and short bill. I can understand that some might say it is impossible to separate this species without the benefit of hearing its call, but I am familiar with Willow/Alders because I live part time in Illinois. They look longer bodied and longer winged to me, and do not have such strong eye rings. I must admit that when I first saw it, its teardrop-shaped eye ring reminded me of the Cordilleran Flycatcher, which was common near my former home in the mountains of central New Mexico. These were brighter olive/yellowish than this bird, and of course would be extremely unlikely to be found in south Florida at any time of year. I always think of my first Hutton's Vireo (also impossibly unlikely, I assume), which was a heavier-looking bird like a big Ruby-crowned Kinglet with longer wings and more prominent bill, but this morning's bird had the habits of a flycatcher, sitting quietly and returning to a nearby perch after making two or three flights before disappearing from view.
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