Help with Flycatcher please

[gabi]

Unable to get an ID of this one... thanks much for your help.  Spotted through the foliage at Matsqui Trail, Abbotsford

Untitled by Gabi Cuff, on Flickr

Flycatcher by Gabi Cuff, on Flickr

[Ben]

Complete guess: Hammond's

After looking in a book. I still think Hammonds. Yellowish lower underside, light chin, dark bill, and notched tail all seem to fit

[Randy]

I'm going with Hammond's as well.

[gabi]

Thanks for your perspective... I think what is stumping me is that (from what I understand...) the bill of a Hammond’s is shorter, thinner and darker.  I am including another perspective that is causing the confusion for me...

Untitled by Gabi Cuff, on Flickr

[Ben]

Hi Gabi,

I believe the light in the last image is causing it to look more orange than it is -- even the sunny side of its head looks a warm color. In the first 2, you can see there is some slight amount of orangy along the mouth line, but that the bill is mostly dark. I think the first images display it's true color.

When you viewed the bird, did you think the bill was orange?

[ed]

I’d say Dusky or Pacific slope. The bill seems too big for a Hammond’s(should have a tiny sharp bill) and the primary projection is short. On the second pic it appears as though the wing tips barely reach the vent feathers, that would suggest something other than Hammond’s .The tail seems long especially on the 3rd pic, that would suggest Dusky or Pacific Slope. In National Geographic field guide the Hammonds has a grey throat, this one looks lighter. I think the overall colour is suspect on account of the general lighting, however the lower mandible (when I expand the pics) in the first 2 pictures look orangish ... which might suggest Pacific Slope.

[ed]

This is of course all speculation and without hearing calls we probably won’t know. Overall colour seems greyer than PSFL so I’m going with Dusky!
Ed

[Ben]

I'm sticking with Hammonds for reasons already mentioned.

Dusky is very similar, and this would be my next guess.
I suppose the fact that it's lower down would support this.

I have never seen a Pacific-slope gray like this, and I don't think the eye-ring looks good for it. Plus the bill looks dark in the images (except in the one with the sun shining on it) So I think we can safely exclude PS.

[gabi]

Thank you all for weighing in... I admit when I read the “debate” I feel slightly better - I often get “stumped” with flycatchers... and I am also grateful that you offered your perspectives and why... a great community to learn with and from.  Thank you.