Subject: Help with flycatcher ID - no photo [Print This Page] Author: cattrall Time: 5/12/2011 17:15 Subject: Help with flycatcher ID - no photo
Hi all. I was at Long Valley two days ago and saw a flycatcher that I can't figure out. I'm afraid I didn't get a photo of it but here's my best shot at a description.
Two or three individual birds were seen, so I'm assuming it's quite common. The bird looked and behaved like a flycatcher. It would sit prominently on a low wire or bush (about 2 metres off the ground) and routinely fly up, and then back down to the same spot. It was quite active. It was flicking it's tail non-stop. Observed a buff breast with a white throat, and a fairly distinct straight-line contrast between the two. Black eye stripe either through or above eye. One wingbar observed but indistinct. No noticeable eyering. Black tail possibly with white at the tip. Possibly some kind of indistinct black markings on the face below the eye.
I know this is pretty vague, but it was the best I could see from the distance in diminishing light. On the whole the bird was very plain. Possibly just an Asian Brown Flycatcher but seemed browner and less 'haunched' than previous ones that I have seen. Also the lack of a noticeable eyering is throwing me off.
Any ideas?! Author: HFCheung Time: 5/12/2011 17:32
Siberian Stonechat. Good job, try to distinguish a flycatcher to a chat.
HF Cheung Author: cattrall Time: 5/12/2011 17:36
Yup perfect why didn't I think of that? ;) Guess the flicking of the tail should be a dead givaway huh? Thanks...
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