Mount Ranier Flycatcher (1 Viewer)

[Acanthis]

Hi

I once visited Washington State back in September '88. Me and 2 non-birders visited Mts Ranier and St Helens in a hire car. We'd reached Paradise when 1 guy realised he'd left his camera bag at a photo stop 70 miles back down the road, so I had the sum total of 1 minute to scan the surrounding fir trees for birds before we raced away back the way we came. Looking downslope I got a few Mountain Chickadees(Life Tick) and a Flycatcher sitting near the top of a fir tree. The bird was basically a silhouette but it appeared much larger than the chickadees but not as large as a kingbird- wrong shape too! I was never back in that habitat again and it bugs me that I couldn't identify the bird. I think on size and range it was most likely an Olive-sided. Any Washington birders out there care to comment?

Sandy

(Incidentally, we found the camera bag where it was left by the roadside 3hours before!)

 

[Michael W]

Hi Sandy,
An Olive-sided Flycatcher is certainly the best possibility, based on range, habitat, and size. Also a good option would be a Western Wood-Pewee, but that one might be a bit too small. I would bet on it being an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Michael

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Michael,

What about Hammond's Fly? - I got those (or at least some Empids that fitted this the best I could determine!!) also at the tops of conifers, early September 2000 in the Oregon Cascades.

Have to confess when I saw the thread title before opening it, I thought it was going to be an announcement of yet another Empidonax split off as a new species . . .

Michael

 

[Acanthis]

Hi Michael,

What about Hammond's Fly? - I got those (or at least some Empids that fitted this the best I could determine!!) also at the tops of conifers, early September 2000 in the Oregon Cascades.

Have to confess when I saw the thread title before opening it, I thought it was going to be an announcement of yet another Empidonax split off as a new species . . .

Michael

Good ploy that to get attention!

I was worried about the possibility of Empids. I had some prior experience of Least and Willow/Alder in upstate NY, but none of the Western species. So I can't completely discount them. This bird may finally end up on the 'Ones that got away' list.

Sandy

 

[Charles Harper]

No question it will have to go down as 'flyc. sp.', but also no question that it was in all likelihood an Olive-sided Flycatcher, looking large, sitting on the top of a tree and singing 'Quick! three beers!'

 

[Acanthis]

Hi Sandy,
An Olive-sided Flycatcher is certainly the best possibility, based on range, habitat, and size. Also a good option would be a Western Wood-Pewee, but that one might be a bit too small. I would bet on it being an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Michael

Thanks Michael,

I live in Scotland which has it's fair share of mountains and scenery, but the Pacific NW states blew me away all those years ago. You're definitely blessed with one of the most beautiful parts of the world. I must make a point of revisiting some day.

Sandy

 

[Acanthis]

No question it will have to go down as 'flyc. sp.', but also no question that it was in all likelihood an Olive-sided Flycatcher, looking large, sitting on the top of a tree and singing 'Quick! three beers!'

Not only would it have been a lifer but also making excellent suggestions!

Sandy

 

[Michael Frankis]

Checked my notes - I never got either of the western Contopus (Olive-sided; Western Wood Pewee); I was in the area 1-5 September. When do they normally leave in fall? I've generally found with fall birding, whether you see something or not depends more on average departure dates, than it does on breeding abundance.

No question that it was in all likelihood an Olive-sided Flycatcher, looking large, sitting on the top of a tree and singing 'Quick! three beers!'

According to Sibley, Pacific coast Olive-sideds don't sing that, they sing "What peeves you"

And the answer is obviously American flycatchers :-O

 

[Michael W]

When do they normally leave in fall?

I don't know on the Olive-sided Flycatchers, but I saw my last Western Wood-Pewee around our house on September 2nd. I imagine that Olive-sided's are about the same.

Edit - I realized that all the flycatchers probably leave the cascades area a little later than they do here.

Michael

 

[Acanthis]

Edit - I realized that all the flycatchers probably leave the cascades area a little later than they do here.

Michael[/QUOTE]



Checking back my notes it seems I was on Mt Ranier on the 14th September, so at least some flycatchers must stick around a little longer.

Sandy

 

[NWBirder]

Hi Sandy,
An Olive-sided Flycatcher is certainly the best possibility, based on range, habitat, and size. Also a good option would be a Western Wood-Pewee, but that one might be a bit too small. I would bet on it being an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Michael

Thanks, Michael. That's the information I was looking for too..

 

[Chris D]

"Quick! Three beerzz......" That's it's call in the Sierra Nevada in summer.