Ed Corey spotted a Say's Phoebe this morning while covering his territory for the Pettigrew Christmas Bird Count.
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| Say's Phoebe - Washington County |
Luckily Kyle Kittelberger and I were already on our way there to do some birding around Lake Phelps en route to the Outer Banks and were able to refind it easily.
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| Say's Phoebe |
This is only the 10th record of this western flycatcher for North Carolina (and a lifer for me!). Ed seems to have especially good luck finding vagrant flycatchers.
After scoping a nice assortment of ducks, included a few Common Mergansers, on the lake we drove over to the "Park Office." While Ed Corey and Kyle were fiddling with gear at their trucks I wandered down toward the water with my scope.
An odd low
chup sound coming from the flooded wood edge caught my attention. A Hermit Thrush perhaps? But it didn't sound quite right for that...
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| Ash-throated Flycatcher |
...and then I realized a
Myiarchus flycatcher was staring me right in the face!
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| Ash-throated Flycatcher |
Several years ago this was considered a Mega-rarity in NC, but they have become more regular recently (in fact this is the fourth Ash-throated found in NC this season!). There are probably 25 to 30 state records, but this might be the first for Washington County. I saw my first on the causeway at Lake Mattamuskeet.
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| Ash-throated Flycatcher |
Kyle played some tapes and the call I heard sounded like his tapes from the Utah population (and not the Texas population).
It was a great day for flycatchers from out west; now we just need to find a Western Kingbird!
