Flycatcher help

[Chris]

I saw this guy today but he was quiet and I am not sure what kind he is

[Dave]

Sorry, bundy, but I am always hesitant to ID flycatchers as well, unless I hear them make a call or sing. Seems to be one of the Empidonax, and I would lean a bit to Pacific-slope Flycatcher, but a tough one. Like you said, it could very well be a Hammond's. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in. Any other pictures?
Dave

[Chris]

I do have another one. Here it is. I believe it's either a Willow or a Pacific Slope. I remember seeing my first flycatcher last year and I thought it wouldcbe simple identifying them but boy was I wrong. I saw a Willow out there last year.

[Deleted]

Fools rush in....so I will.

There's very little doubt that it's an Empidonax flycatcher. After that, everything's up for grabs.

I will venture it's probably not a Hammond's because the bill seems too large (although Hammond's are moving through here at present), and it's probably not a Willow, because they show no eye-ring and shouldn't be here for at least two weeks yet.

Aside from the possibility of a couple of rarer migrant Empidonax species, Pacific-slope Flycatcher seems to me, too, Dave, to be the most likely candidate. There's nothing obvious to me about this individual that would indicate it's not a Pacific-slope, and they are back now. I had several of them on Salt Spring Island today.

Unlike those of some other Empidonax flycatchers, the vocalizations of Pacific-slope Flycatcher are quite unique and clinch the ID, but can be a bit difficult to zero in on, if you're not familiar with them. The song is high pitched, and quite "strung out" or "scattered."

For what it's worth, that's my guess.

Now I've seen your second photo, posted while I wrote the above, and the eye-ring seems weak for a Pacific-slope, so I'm not so sure. It would be very early for a Willow, to say the least.

Stan Olson
Abbotsford

[Chris]

Thanks for your replies. I also posted it on flickr and the user there seems to be stumped as well. Is it true that Hammond's have no yellow underbelly? I have read in where they have no yellow underbelly and also where they do.