large Myiarchus flycatcher, Larimer County

[Brad Biggerstaff]

This evening I was birding at the Wellington State Wildlife Area, Cobb Lake Unit, which is located just east of I-25, just south of Larimer E County Road 58 and west of N County Road 3.  (The dove hunters I have run across there have been very polite.)  Best entry off E County Road 58.

I saw a large Myiarchus flycatcher that I assumed was an Ash-throated flycatcher, but after reviewing the photos (with others) the identity is being investigated. Several people are heading there in the morning to see if the bird can be refound.

I only saw the bird fly in the open briefly and from behind, then it hopped among some junipers and conifers and was hard to see.  I was able to get a few (so-so) photos, one of which provides a decent profile of the head and bill.  These can be seen at the link:

https://plus.google.com/photos/105742165113837247842/albums/6057663436086111921?authkey=CKT3uoPqtMvOiQE

I welcome any thoughts on the identification.

Brad Biggerstaff

Fort Collins

[Nick Komar]

I believe the photos show a Brown-crested Flycatcher of the western large-billed subspecies. I joined Brad and Dave Wade this morning in an attempt to relocate this rare vagrant from south Arizona/NW Mexico(!) at the Cobb Lake SWA, a 1-sq-mile property just north of Cobb Lake, southeast of Wellington. Yesterday, Brad saw the bird in junipers at the west edge of the central portion of the property.  We checked that area and about half of the rest of the trees on the property. Very birdy (50 species) but no Myiarchus flycatcher. We did not check the northern and southern borders of the SWA. I’m not sure if this bird would be moving north or south. It may still be around, as there seemed to be very  little or no noticeable turnover in the birds there from yesterday to today. Hopefully others will continue to try to re-find this Colorado mega-rarity. Other migrants of interest at the site included Dusky Flycatchers, Sage Thrashers, Townsend’s and Virginia’s Warblers, and numerous sparrows.

 

Nick Komar

Fort Collins CO

 

From: cob...@googlegroups.com[mailto:cob...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Brad Biggerstaff
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2014 10:47 PM
To: COBirds
Subject: [cobirds] large Myiarchus flycatcher, Larimer County

 

This evening I was birding at the Wellington State Wildlife Area, Cobb Lake Unit…[snip]…I saw a large Myiarchus flycatcher that …[snip]…after reviewing the photos (with others) the identity is being investigated. …[snip]…These can be seen at the link:

 

https://plus.google.com/photos/105742165113837247842/albums/6057663436086111921?authkey=CKT3uoPqtMvOiQE