Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 12:18:04 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Joan Miller Subject: Willow vs. Alder Flycatcher Yes, I know flycatcher ID can only make you crazy! But here I go. Yesterday I tracked a loudly singing flycatcher here at the Izaak Walton League HQ in Gaithersburg. Now it's out there taunting me again (we have windows that open). I got a look at the bird yesterday, a definite Empid, and from the book descriptions, I have narrowed it down to either Willow or Alder. I'm leaning toward Willow. One book says flycatchers rarely sing in migration, so I guess i'm lucky. This one has a definite "whit" or even 2 whits at the beginning, then sounds to me like it's saying "deer beer whit." The books all say "fitzbew" but maybe my "deer beer" sounds like "fitzbew" to other people! I do not think it resembles the "feebee-o" of the Alder. I listened to my Peterson bird song CDs only to be disappointed. The songs on the CD do not include the "whit" and the rest does not sound like what I'm hearing. I would say there are definitely 5 parts to the song. I wonder if the recordings are of breeding song, while what I'm hearing is migration song? Maybe I should record what I'm hearing! Any ideas? Joan Miller Gaithersburg, MD joan@iwla.org ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================