|
English and Scientific names: |
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) |
|
Number of individuals: |
One adult |
|
Locality: LOUISIANA: |
Cameron |
|
Specific Locality: |
eastern fence of Cameron oxidation ponds off Eleven Oaks Rd., East Jetty Woods, Cameron |
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Date(s) when observed: |
11 October 2007 |
|
Time(s) of day when
observed: |
Between 4:40 and 5:10
PM |
|
Reporting observer and address: |
Justin Bosler Baton Rouge, LA |
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Other observers accompanying reporter who
also identified the bird(s): |
Devin Bosler |
|
Other
observers who independently identified the bird(s): |
None |
|
Light
conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount
of light): |
Excellent lighting
conditions with sun nearly overhead. |
|
Optical equipment: |
Zeiss Victory FL 8x42 binocular x2 Nikon Fieldscope ED w/
45-60x optical zoom |
|
Distance to
bird(s): |
As close as 10 meters,
first observed at >100 meters |
|
Duration of
observation: |
Approximately 30
minutes |
|
Habitat: |
Open grass/sedge habitat near oxidation ponds with scattered, mature live oaks and tall, thick brush piles. |
|
Behavior of bird: |
The phoebe was actively sallying for terrestrial prey from a small 4-foot, barbed-wire fence. It made a few trips to the bare branches of a tall live oak and sat on the ground for short periods of time after sallying there. |
|
Description: |
An overall dark, attenuated flycatcher with dark gray-brown head and upperparts; head and wings being decidedly darker than mantle. Also contrastingly darker were the auriculars and loral area. The pale sooty-gray throat extended into the dark sooty-brown breast, which blended into the rusty-salmon belly and undertail coverts. The tail was relatively long and blackish with a slight notch. The relatively long, slender bill was black. Irides and legs were dark brown. Aged as adult by fresh tertials, uniformly adult greater coverts with minimal grayish-white tips, and fresh blackish, truncated rectrices. |
|
Voice: |
No voice was heard. |
|
Similar
species: |
There are no similar flycatchers that are all dark above and below in lighted conditions. |
|
Photographs
or tape recordings obtained? |
Yes, digiscoped by
Justin Bosler |
|
Previous
experience with this species: |
Extensive experience with this species while birding and conducting field work in the Western U.S. |
|
Identification aids: |
No identification aids used |
|
This description is written from: |
Written primarily from memory with a few notes on the bird's behavior and time of observation. |
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Are
you positive of your identification? If not, explain: |
100% positive |
|
Reporter: |
Justin Bosler
|
|
Date and time: |
18 October 2007, 9:26 PM |