Hi all sorry about this late posting I have been busy trying
to relocate this bird as well as christmas chores . No luck in relocating
it however. While birding my sector for the Kent County CBC on Dec 17,
06 myself and 3 other birders were on a farm southeast of Centreville Md
. [Kent County's circle dips into QA county ] At about noon or just after
while we happened to be at our cars getting ready to move on a bird
few into a hedgerow just behind us. Rob Etgen called out Great Crested
Flycatcher getting all our attention turned to the bird 30 to 40 feet
away sitting in a small tree at the end of the hedgerow intersecting with
a row of mutiflora roses along the drive in to the farm . The bird did
indeed resemable a Great Crested Flycatcher except the our bird was much
paler in color . The yellow on the belly did not jump out as the yellow on
a Great crest would have . very pale in color , In addition the photos Of
the Somerset County flycatcher looks like a brighter yellow then what our
bird was . This bird did not look big headed as a Great crested it did
have a crest however , The gray on the throat and around face was much
paler almost whiteish . It had a reddish brown spots in the wings as
well as the tail was reddish brown . No one picked up on any dark banding
on the end of the tail feathers , Top of the head as well as the back was a
grayish brown color . bill color was dark eyes dark in color , no eyerings
, Wing Bars were whitish in color . The bird never called . The viewing
lasted 30 to 40 Seconds in very good light , Bright Sunshine before the
bird flew into the sun backlight to another hedgerow much father away
before dissappearing forever . All of us had Bins looking at the bird .
No photos were obtained though I tried reaching for my camera on the seat
of my truck just before the bird flew off. I had remembered hearing
and reading that any Myiarchus Seen this time oy year most likly would
be and Ash throated Flycather so we knew that we had to carefully sort
out this ID . Everyone commented on how pale the bird was compared to the
Great crested Flycatchers that we have seen before . i was the first one
to comment that it may be and Ash throated After the bird left We looked
though a sibley field guide that the ladies had brought along , and a
Peterson eastern guide. latter guides consulted were a national geo
and several web sites with photos of Ash throated Flycatchers . I am pretty
well convinced that it was and Ash Throated Flycatcher as is the rest of
the group that was there that day . We had tried to relocate it that
day as well as I had been back there on Dec 18 th and 19 th and also
looking in some near by areas and had NO LUCK FINDING any sort of
flycatcher . I had hoped to work out a plan with the landowner for visits
by birders if the bird had stayed around as well as get some photos .
Happy Birding
Danny Poet
Queenstown, Md
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