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English
and Scientific names: |
Western Wood-Pewee |
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Number
of individuals: |
1 probably an adult since dark upper mandible and light lower mandible |
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Locality:
LOUISIANA: |
Cameron |
|
Specific
Locality: |
next to dorm at Rockerfeller Refuge |
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Date(s)
when observed: |
Nov. 1, 2009 |
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Time(s)
of day when observed: |
about 9:15 am |
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Reporting
observer and address: |
Rosemary Seidler Shreveport, LA |
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Other observers
accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s): |
Nancy Menasco |
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Other observers who
independently identified the bird(s) |
|
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Light conditions
(position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light): |
bird was in full sunlight, no shadows |
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Optical
equipment: |
10 X 35 Swarowski in good condition |
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Distance
to bird(s): |
bird was at the top of a large oak tree probably 60 ft high |
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Duration
of observation: |
2-5 minutes |
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Habitat:
|
oak trees between buildings and the hwy, open
fields and marsh on the other side of building |
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Behavior
of bird: |
bird was first seen in the middle of another oak tree. When it was deep within this tree I thought it might be a phoebe. I pished and it flew to the top of the tree in which it was observed. Jerry Bertrand and I then knew it was a pewee. It flew from its perch twice and returned - "flycatching." |
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Description: |
Overall dark head with a bit of a crest rather
than rounded as in a phoebe, dark back and tail. It had two faint wing
bars and no tail pumping. Lower mandible was lighter than the upper. |
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Voice: |
First it called then it sang and there was
this "what the heck is that moment?” Nancy didn't see the bird because she was
packing the car but when she heard it call she got very interested telling us
that this was not like any Eastern Pewee she had heard. We certainly
agreed. Jerry’s hearing is not great so he just told her to look at the
bird because it was definitely a pewee. We should have spent more time
with the bird but I don't think that getting a photo of it would have helped
very much. Should have tried for a recording. The call was one-possibly 2 syllables-rather than
the 3 syllable "pee-o-wee" of the Eastern Pewee. Definitely
not a phoebe call or an emidonax call. Song consisted of 3
notes/syllables followed by 2 with the second one decending. We left Rockerfeller and went to Rutherford woods to look for the kiskadee. Played a kiskadee call (Stokes from an iPod) but no luck. I remembered that Melvin Weber said he'd had a Western Wood-Pewee there on Friday so I played the Western Wood-Pewee call. The second the call played, Nancy (who was about 20 feet away from me) and I each said "that was it!" We listened to the call some more and knew that we had seen and heard a Western Wood-Pewee at Rockerfeller. We were both amazed that we didn't think of that at the time. DUH! Played the tape for Jerry but he couldn't hear it very well so had no comment. Played the Eastern Wood-Pewee tract and it is very different. |
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Similar species: |
Phoebe - head shape no tail pumping. Eastern Wood Pewee - call is very different |
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Photographs or tape
recordings obtained? |
no |
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Previous experience with
this species: |
Not much. None for Nancy and I have see and heard it in the west on only 3 or 4 occasions |
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Identification
aids: |
primarily the iPod call. Also looked in National Geographic and Sibley |
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This
description is written from: |
memory |
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Are you positive of your
identification? If not, explain: |
Yes after we played the call/song |
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Date
and time: |
Nov 5, 2009 10:30 |