Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2013-66
| Common name: |
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
| Scientific name: | Empidonax flaviventris |
| Date: | 9-10-13 |
| Time: | 12:00pm |
| Length of time observed: | 5 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | ? |
| Sex: | ? |
| Location: | Garr ranch,Antelope Island |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | ? |
| Elevation: | 4200ft |
| Distance to bird: | 20ft |
| Optical equipment: | 10X50 binoculars,Canon powershot SX20 IS digital camera |
| Weather: | Party cloudy,warm 75F |
| Light Conditions: | good |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small flycatcher, 6 inches long |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | erect passerine |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | overall very yellowish,with 2 whitish wingbars |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | short,thin |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
What I first notices was a very yellowish flycatcher,and thought it must be a
Cordilleran,however once I saw the complete eyering,I immediately though it must
be a YBFL,so I started taking photos and video. This flycatcher had a complete
eyering,a longish bi-colored bill,a moderate primary projection(seen in the
photos not in the field),an olive yellow back and head,very yellow breast and
belly,and a slightly yellow throat. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none heard |
| Behavior: | When I first located it,the bird had just dropped down off a low barbed-wired fence into the grass,then it popped back up onto that same fence and just sat there at close range for a few minutes,where I got a good look at it and took the photos and video. It then dropped down onto the grass again,but this time went off to the east into a russian-olive tree,where I lost it. I tried to relocate it but there were a couple other flycatcher around and I lost track of it. I then went and got my tablet in my car to try some playback, and when I came back I got no response at first,but then I saw the bird again on the same fence and got more photos,however unfortunately they ended up out of focus, then the bird went up into the tree again and I went on to find other birds |
| Habitat: | Near a spring grown with thick trees and brush, in an otherwise open landscape on the edge of the greats salt lake. A known migrant trap. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Not a Willow/Alder Flycatcher-eyering to prominent
Not an Acadian-eyering complete,primary projection not long enough Not a Least-Primary projection to long,no contrasting white throat Not a Gray-Primary projection too long,also to yellow overall Not a Cordilleran/Pacific-slope,Primary Projection to long,eyeing complete Not a Dusky-Primary projection to long,complete eyering,high contrasting wingbars and tertial Not a Hammond's-Bill bi-colored and to long.complete eyering,high contrasting wingbars and tertial Not a Buffy-bellied-Primary projection too long,no orange belly Yellow-bellied Flycatcher seems to be the only option left,and there is no field mark that rules it out that I can see |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I've never seen a YBFL before,however one was report at Garr ranch last year,and the next day I went there to see it,saw some candidates,which caused me to study up on field ID of YBFL. I am very familiar with Hammond's,Dusky,Cordilleran,and Willow,all of which nest near my cabin, and moderately familiar with Gray and Least |
| References consulted: | iBird Pro,Audubon Guides:Birds(apps),The Sibley Guide to Birds,D.A. Sibley 2000 |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 688 East 700 South #105 Salt Lake City,UT 84102 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | none |
| Date prepared: | 09-13-13 |
| Additional material: | Photos Video |
| Additional_Comments: |