LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

Photos Below

1. English and Scientific names: Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya

2. Number of individuals:  1

3. Locality: Cameron Parish

Specific Locality: about 2 miles E of Willow Island area, or about 8.5 mi E of town of Cameron

4. Date(s) when observed: 09/30/2012

5. Time(s) of day when observed: ca. 3:30 (photo stamp of Nikon D50 one hour off)

6. Reporting observer and address:

Paul Conover

Lafayette, LA

7. Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

8. Other observers who independently identified the bird(s):

9. Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):  Beautiful light, mid-afternoon autumn sunlight with the bird at a great angle.

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Zeiss 10s, Nikon 20-60 scope, cellphone cam, Nikon D50 with 300mm lens.

11. Distance to bird(s): probably 150 feet at first, then down to perhaps 20 feet.

12. Duration of observation:  10-15 minutes off and on 

13. Habitat:  A sprawling industrial facility with a large fenced off gravel parking lot. The area is great for flycatchers. There are a lot of plants growing up through the gravel, and the area is surrounded by trees and undeveloped land. There are a lot of light poles inside, as well, so a lot of places for flycatchers to perch.

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation:  Bird was flycatching actively along the ground, occasionally perching up on the upper barbed wire strands of the tall fence. It worked close to me, then flew off in a general southeasterly direction. A few minutes later I found a Say’s foraging a few hundred yards to the E that I assume was the same bird. It flushed and flew to the southwest, and a few minutes later I saw a Say’s feeding at the back edge of the original spot. I assume this was all one bird.

15. Description (include only what was actually seen, not what "should" have been seen; include if possible: total length/relative size compared to other familiar species, body bulk, shape, proportions, bill, eye, leg, and plumage characteristics. Stress features that separate it from similar species):

A slender but sturdy medium-sized flycatcher. Overall a blend of earth tones, with a weakly contrasting darker tail and wingtips. Upperparts brownish ashy gray, about the same as crown and sides of face. Wing coverts with slightly paler edges, creating very weak wingbars. Underparts a muted buffy-salmon, clearest on undertail coverts, and somewhat vested or hooded by ashy gray on the breast and throat. Primaries and tail darker, dark brown to blackish.

Bird was feeding low, sweeping sideways and flashing its tail on the ground and just above the ground, in pursuit of some type of prey. The bird hopped along the ground a short ways a few times, then burst into brief frenzied flycatching. It would rest on a low plant stalk for a second or two, then would go back to low foraging. I whistled an imitation of the Say’s Phoebe call and the bird came closer—perhaps just coincidence.

16. Voice: Not heard.

17. Similar species (include how they were eliminated by your observation):

Eastern Phoebe has a different color pattern, different build, habit of dunking tail. Female and young male Vermilion Flycatchers smaller, different build, with females streaked below and with different color pattern, young males with reddish tint.

18. Photographs or tape recordings obtained? (by whom? attached?): Photos attached.

19. Previous experience with this species:  Pretty extensive out west over the years, most recently summer 2011. Also a number in Louisiana, including several in winter 20122-2012.

20. Identification aids: (list books, illustrations, other birders, etc. used in identification):

a. at time of observation:

b. after observation:

21. This description is written from: memory.  

22. Are you positive of your identification if not, explain: Yes.

23. Date: 10/01/2012