Posted by John Tobias on December 2, 2012 at 8:38 PM
Took this shot in mid-May at a nearby lake. This bird was hanging out in a tree line which also had a yellow warbler, orchard oriole, and a robin in it. Sorry about the quality of the image, I was hand holding a 150-500, didn't take the time to mount on either my tripod or monopod. Thanks for your help.,
Posted by Jim DeWitt on December 3, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Probably a flycatcher. The shadows are pretty bad. Where was the photo taken?
Posted by Jim DeWitt on December 3, 2012 at 5:30 PM
John advised me by email the photo was taken in Central Illinois. It's very likely an Empidonax flycatcher, but after that it gets very difficult. The bird is too far south in mid-May to likely be an Alder Flycatcher; the southern limit of their breeding range is north of Illinois. Alder Flycatcher is nearly indistinguishable from Willow Flycatcher (they were thought to be the same species until 1973). Willow has a more southerly range, including Illinois. But the field marks aren't clear enough in the photo to say for certain. Without hearing the bird sing, I cannot do much more than guess. Sorry.
Posted by John Tobias on December 3, 2012 at 8:05 PM
Jim and Myer, I have posted another shot of this bird. Acording to my Birds of Illinois, the Alder flycatcher is a migrant through this area between mid May and into mid-June. I just wish I had taken the time to put my camera and lens back on the tripod before I took the shots. Thanks again for your help.
You probably have a better idea about it than Ido but I would go with the Willow, from what i see it would be the most likely here in IL. I don't see enough to be up on them. Sounds like you have a verry popular tree.
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