LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

REPORT FORM

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

2. Number of individuals:  1

3. Locality: LOUISIANA: (parish)  Calcasieu

Specific Locality: On NW quadrant of intersection of Highway 14 and Harris Road, ca. 2 miles W of Bell City

4. Date(s) when observed: 02/22/12

5. Time(s) of day when observed: early afternoon

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):  Overcast but adequate, good backdrop.

10. Optical equipment (type, power, condition): Zeiss 10s, Nikon 20-60 scope, point and shoot camera, Sony Handycam for videoscoping

11. Distance to bird(s): perhaps 100 yards

12. Duration of observation:  15 minutes 

13. Habitat: Large open ranch with many fences, both of the pipe and barbed wire varieties, cattle, and farm machinery. In short, good Says’s Phoebe habitat.

14. Behavior of bird / circumstances of observation:  Bird was sitting on a distant barbed wire fence preening.

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 trim, medium-sized earth-toned flycatcher that perched in the open on a fence wire.

Medium dusty-brown upperparts, with slightly darker flight feathers in wing, and two pale brownish wingbars. Dark brown-blackish tail. Crown darker brown than mantle; thus, bird darkest on ends. Only part of underparts that were visible during my observation were the belly and vent; this area was pale ochre, buffy, sandy, or some such pale brownish-yellow tint, or at least appeared as such in the gray lighting. Eye appeared dark, bill and legs appeared blackish.

16. Voice: None noted 

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

Eastern Phoebe paler below, darker and less brownish above. Vermilion Flycatcher female smaller, less richly colored.

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

19. Previous experience with this species:  Much out west, as recently as summer 2011. In Louisiana, pretty good experience, especially recently. I think I’ve seen 5 this fall-winter.

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 and photos  

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

23. Date: 2/24/2012