First, a big thanks to Sean for posting to the list and linking his photos. Both Sean and Heydi Lopes bolted into the park in response to my tweet and texts, managing to capture a few decent photos of the flycatcher (Heydi's pics are here - http://tinyurl.com/nqudwux ).
In response to Hugh, the bird never vocalized, but did perch and seem interested for a few moments when I played the call of a Hammond's Flycatcher. Over the course of a couple of hours I briefly played several other possible species, including Least Flycatcher, with no perceivable reaction. Just to add to Sean's description, from my perspective the bird's feeding behavior was more reminiscent of a kinglet's hyperactive flittering than the expected northeastern empidonax flycatchers. I apologize for not posting anything sooner, but the bird disappeared after my first, very brief observation and it took me over an hour to relocate it. The next problem was the inevitable November empid ID conundrum. Any opinions are certainly welcome. If you go looking for this bird I created a Google map here: http://tinyurl.com/q54spv3 The bird was feeding mostly in the mid-story close to the stairways at the south end of the Wellhouse Path on Lookout Hill in Prospect Park. The closest access to this section of the park is at Prospect Park Southwest and Vanderbilt Street. Good birding, Rob http://citybirder.blogspot.com @thecitybirder > On Sun, 2 Nov 2014 21:01:40 -0500 Hugh McGuinness wrote: > > If the images are true to what the bird displayed bird in the field, then > the thin, tiny, mostly dark bill, the slight crest and the long primary > projection are all supportive of Hammond's and would seem to not support > Least. Were other photos taken? Did the bird vocalize? I'm looking forward > to hearing more about this bird, even if I myself will not get to see it. > > Hugh > > On Sun, Nov 2, 2014 at 8:26 PM, Sean Sime > wrote: > > > I received a text mid afternoon from Rob Jett about an Empidonax > > flycatcher on Lookout Hill in Prospect Park. As soon as the text came > > through another came saying the bird was no longer in view. After 4pm the > > bird was refound and I stopped by and was able to get some marginal > > photographs in the 10-15 minutes or so before it was too dark to > > photograph. > > > > The images can be seen at this link; > > > > https://www.flickr.com/photos/103866258 AT N08/sets/72157649094397622/ > > > > In the field the bird seemed kinglet like and small. The bill appeared > > almost completely dark and very short and thin. The eyering was broader > > behind the eye, but not incredibly so. > > In certain light the head was quite gray and offset against a more > > greenish back. In other light the bird seemed monotone. The breast seemed > > "dirty" on the sides of the chest with yellow tones beneath. > > > > The discussion between Least and possible Hammond's came into play as well > > as another western empid. The ID was left at empid sp. I will try to add > > some images to the album, but unfortunately, they will all be at this > > distance and of this (lack of) quality. > > > > Good birding, > > > > Sean Sime > > Brooklyn, NY > > > > > > -- > > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics > > > Rules and Information > > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > > > > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > > > > > Surfbirds > > > BirdingOnThe.Net > > > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > > > *!* > > -- > > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
