English and Scientific names:

Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya

Number of individuals: 

1, age and sex unknown

Locality: LOUISIANA: 

Vermilion

Specific Locality:

Sham's Road, south of Dulva Rd.

Date(s) when observed:

19 Dec. 2007 and 4 Jan. 2008

Time(s) of day when observed:  

for 19 Dec., uncertain; for 4 Jan. around 12-12:30 pm

Reporting observer and address:

B. Mac. Myers III

Eunice, LA 70535

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

S. Cardiff and D. Dittmann on 19 Dec. Pauld Conover and Chris Brantley on 4 Jan.

Other observers who independently identified the bird(s):

originally found by Bosler bros,; seen by many on other dates

Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):

in both cases pretty good

Optical equipment: 

10x42 Eagle optics in good condition; also looked through spotting scopes of others

Distance to bird(s): 

mostly 50-80 yds., but on 4 Jan., conover lured it in close with MP3 player

Duration of observation:

ten minutes or more

Habitat: 

Farmyard with fences, outbuildings, farm equipment

Behavior of bird: 

Moved around a good bit from one perch to another, occasionally went to ground to forage

Description:

A phoebe-sized bird. Upperparts dingy gray-brown, darker on head, and with a black tail. Below, pale gray throat and breast, fairly rich salmon-rusty lower breast and belly.

Voice:

not heard

Similar species:

distinctive; lack of face pattern, wingbars, streaking below eliminate Vermilion--about the only candidate for confusion. Presumably this was the same bird first found by the Bosler bros. in October and which was present at least until late March

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?=2 photos by me, from 19 Dec., attached. Better photos were obtained by Conover and probably others.

Previous experience with this species: 

Three this winter in LA! Moderate experience out west and a couple in LA.

Identification aids:

 

This description is written from: 

memory and photos.

Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain: 

 

yes

Reporter: 

B. Mac. Myers III

Date and time: 

2 April 2008 3:15 pm