Comments on Rural Chatter: Flycatchers and Hummingbirds

Awwwwwwwwwww... it's all here in the comments wher...

2008-07-15T15:34:00.000-06:00

Awwwwwwwwwww... it's all here in the comments where only a few go...and you left some wiggle room, to boot! I wouldn't worry about it... You've made the correction; that's good enough for me!

(The program won't let anyone edit; sorry. I hope you don't delete your comments; you'll ruin the 'flow'...doncha know!)

Oh, I'm a bad, bad teacher. I apologize to Bev and...

2008-07-15T14:44:00.000-06:00

Oh, I'm a bad, bad teacher. I apologize to Bev and everyone. I got it exactly wrong.

I was up in the Manzano Mountains this morning and saw a lovely Western Wood-peewee, then noticed that he had a closed vest and it hit me that I told you all wrong.

The OSFC has a vest that is open. The WEPE sometimes has a vest that is buttoned at the top.

Please, edit or delete my previous references so I don't steer anyone else wrong with my bird droppings.

So, sorry.

Ahhhhhhhhh, GREAT suggestion, Chas and I’m doing t...

2008-07-15T13:59:00.000-06:00

Ahhhhhhhhh, GREAT suggestion, Chas and I’m doing that, when I can! I dunno though, when actually feeding (here at the feeders), the birds don't really do much singing.

However, at Bill's suggestion I've begun just what you suggested... and (!!!) he gave me yet another place to hear bird calls. We're not all that far from Arazona…and perhaps birds in your area speak the same dialect; give this one a try:

http://www.azfo.org/soundlibrary/sounds_intro.html

I’ve included a link on my blog.

Thanks again!

Listen to the songs and compare with recordings at...

2008-07-15T10:14:00.000-06:00

Listen to the songs and compare with recordings at sites like All About Birds.

A Western Wood-PeeWee won't sound like a Cordie, for instance.

The little flycatchers may be easier to sort by sound.

I like how you think, Bill.One of the things I lik...

2008-07-15T09:03:00.000-06:00

I like how you think, Bill.

One of the things I like to do is use Google’s ‘Images’ search engine (found in upper left corner of their home page). Searching a bird from here, results in tens of thousands of images (of varying quality) of the single bird; though I’ll admit, sometimes the picture doesn’t match the caption…even when following the link; but then, other times they’re matched up down the page to which the link leads.

This is a pretty good example:

http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=Western+Wood-pewee&btnG=Search+Images

Though there are only some 12,000 results. Oddly, Google offers a Related Search: Olive-sided Flycatcher !!! Too funny, all things considered.

Speaking of your new book…what do you think of it, other than your happiness at winning such a prize?

I think I’ll ask folks for their favs…

Beverly

If you assert with enough authority, anyone will b...

2008-07-15T07:31:00.000-06:00

If you assert with enough authority, anyone will believe you. :o)

What I said was "typically," which means more than not. I just got a copy of the wonderful, new Smithsonian Field Guide to Birds of North America (thanks to the contest from Charlie of 10000birds.com) and it has a photo of a Western Wood-peewee with only the slightest vest and it is closed at the top.

Experience and observation and curiosity and delight, these are the things that help us to slowly learn "our" birds... and even the experienced learn new things all the time.

Damn…really? Western PeWee’s (WEPE) ‘vest’ is ope...

2008-07-14T20:55:00.000-06:00

Damn…really? Western PeWee’s (WEPE) ‘vest’ is open all the way? Hmmmmm… THIS bird’s definitely was NOT. And yet, look at that tail; it is not short…is it?

Okay, okay, okay (trying for a Pesci imitation), PERHAPS I have more than one type flycatcher in my yard. Dammit…I need to spend more time out there…AND take more pictures. Strike that; Mo betta pictures!

Just HOW MUCH variation in coloration do these birds exhibit? COULD a WEPE have a closed vest? Could a Cordilleran be dressed in gray velvet? And just how do you people learn this stuff, anyway?

The ONLY song, of such a bird, that I recognize hearing in my yard…is the Cordilleran’s; and I admit I could have that wrong, as well.

Beverly
Who is about to believe it’s all smoke and mirrors, dis boid stuff!

Emp. typically perch in vegetation and are hard to...

2008-07-14T17:12:00.000-06:00

Emp. typically perch in vegetation and are hard to see, whereas OSFC and WEPE perch in the open. Vest is the dark sides of the breast contrasting with otherwise white/light belly and flanks... this is more often pronounced in OSFC, absent in Emp. I was taught the OSFC's vest was buttoned at the top and WEPE is open all the way... that is typically what I've seen, though there is enough variation that it isn't a hard-fast rule. The voice's of all the confusing flycatchers are unique and distinctive... it's just a matter of making them sing (I tells ya, youse gonna sing like a boid or youse gonna have cement overshoes.)

Well, Bill…I think they are the same bird; but I c...

2008-07-14T16:19:00.000-06:00

Well, Bill…I think they are the same bird; but I could be wrong. I was serious when I said that two birds were chasing each other around…I saw this one land and snapped the photo. Then it moved and I followed it and snapped the second shot. I think it the bird I got in the second shot is the same bird…but I’ve been wrong before.

What is an emp? Okay…I looked it up: Empidonax! And there are 15 species…including the ones I’ve considered (Gray, Cordilleran, etc) and OSFC must both be a PeeWee, too, huh; they’re a whole ‘nuther species: Contopus!

Heh heh heh…you’ll have me learned-up in no time!

Anyway, the bird did have a slightly paler belly (open vest?)…though I distinctly remember (as shown in lower photo), that the gray coloring met across his upper chest, below his chin (not unlike the red does on a Western Bluebird). I remember noting ‘light bill, dark feet and saying to myself ‘closed vest’ (which is what I thought meant coloring like what I was seeing). And with the long tail it seems unlikely it is an OSFC to me. I’ve read about the WEPE “They have two wing bars and a dark bill with yellow at the base of the lower mandible.” …so perhaps it was that yellow I saw; as I said…it was some distance!

Anyway, I’m still thinking Western Wood-pewee. Don’t you? I’m telling ya…there was nothing like the creamy yellow I’ve seen on Cordillerans. This guy was dark.

And to both of you: THANK YOU for this discussion! This is how all of us are gonna learn; I seriously appreciate your input.

Anyway, I think I have the wrong idea about what means 'Open-' or 'Closed-vest'.

Are you saying the top two photos are of the same ...

2008-07-14T08:06:00.000-06:00

Are you saying the top two photos are of the same bird? Sure look different to me, but then light does play tricks. If they were two birds, I'd say the top looks like an emp. and the bottom the WWP (open vest; the Olive-sided has a 'closed' vest.)

Hi, and thanks for your comment, I appreciate it, ...

2008-07-13T15:20:00.000-06:00

Hi, and thanks for your comment, I appreciate it, very much.

I wonder about the Cordilleran; while they are in the area, it seems to me they're less gray and much more yellowish, over-all. Plus, they have an eye-ring, don't they?

Good guess, especially since my pics are so bad. I'm thinking mine was darker...but I've been told (by one who really does know) that some flycatchers are so difficult to ID, some just mark: Tyrannide species. LOL

Your flycatcher might be a Cordilleran -- ask some...

2008-07-13T15:11:00.000-06:00

Your flycatcher might be a Cordilleran -- ask someone who really knows!