Empidonax Flycatcher
I beat the rain today by getting out to the trail this morning. I had planned to go to the Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch, but there was very little reported there yesterday as it is so early in the migration season, so I changed my mind. I arrived at the trail a little before 9, and stayed until almost 10:30.
I was able to see 22 species, and one of them still has a questionable attribution. I have now seen an Empidonax flycatcher three times in the past week or so on the trail. It is most likely either a Willow Flycatcher or an Acadian Flycatcher. In my previous two posts I called it a Willow Flycatcher, mainly because Willow Flycatchers are more often seen low in brushy vegetation, and Acadian Flycatchers are normally seen in the forest canopy of a mature lowland forest. However; Acadian Flycatchers are moe common in this area at this time of year. Also, when I saw this bird on August 17, I also heard a flycatcher call in the same area about 1/2 hour earlier that could have been an Acadian. If anyone has any opinions, please let me know.
There was a Kingfisher along the downstream trail - haven't seen one there for a couple a weeks. I saw a bird that I am fairly sure was a juvenile Field Sparrow. It had a bi-colored bill, but it is too early for an American Tree Sparrow, and I saw a similar bird on the trail a couple of months ago and the general concensus was a juvenile Field Sparrow.
Our resident tail-less Turkey Vulture also made an appearance.
This morning's list:
Indigo Bunting American Crow Field Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Eastern Wood-Pewee Empidonax Flycatcher Cedar Waxwing Northen Mockingbird Rock Pigeon Turkey Vulture American Goldfinch Red-eyed Vireo Green Heron Great Blue Heron Starling Belted Kingfisher Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
Empidonax Flycatcher
Belted Kingfisher
Indigo Bunting
Tail-less Turkey Vulture
Juvenile Field Sparrow
Juvenile Field Sparrow
Adult Field Sparrow