Flycatcher in Canon City with very long and wide bill, a Traill's??

[SeEtta Moss]

When I saw the very long and wide bill with orangish lower mandible on a empidonax flycatcher yesterday morning I thought it might be an Acadian Flycatcher.  I shot a number of photos quickly before it flew off into an off-limits and fenced area by the Canon City Riverwalk.  I went back down this morning in case it was still around so I might get photos from a different angle to help with id but did not see it. 

It has long wings, primary projection looks long, whitish throat and underparts, the hint of wing bars not visible clearly in my photos.  I have read that Willow Flycatchers have bills that are almost as long and wide as Acadian's do but Sibley's Field Guide to Birds says Western Willows have moderate primary projections.  I have uploaded photos onto my Birds and Nature blog and would appreciate some assistance with id.

SeEtta Moss
Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

[SeEtta Moss]

Nick,
The only pewee I have seen with that large of a bill is a Greater Pewee that I photographed in McAllen, Texas and this bird reminded me of that one but it seemed very unlikely. 

SeEtta Moss

Canon City
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @ http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com

On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 8:55 PM, Nick Komar <quet...@comcast.net> wrote:

SeEtta, the photos in your blog document (in my mind) very nicely an Eastern Wood-Pewee. Very long wings, dull wing-bars, all yellow mandible, and uniform pale underparts. The bill is a pewee bill, too large for any empid, I believe. I have a photo of one from Missouri on-line here: http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/image/145449093.

[Nick Komar]

SeEtta, the photos in your blog document (in my mind) very nicely an Eastern Wood-Pewee. Very long wings, dull wing-bars, all yellow mandible, and uniform pale underparts. The bill is a pewee bill, too large for any empid, I believe. I have a photo of one from Missouri on-line here: http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/image/145449093. Shortly, I will upload another photo showing the shape of the bill from below, much like your bird. Does anybody in this forum think a Western Wood-Pewee can look like the bird in SeEtta’s photographs? Western would be the more expected Wood-Pewee in Colorado (by 1000-to-1), so it would be good to absolutely rule it out. Vocalizations would help, as well as a better view of the relative width of the upper and lower wingbars, and the length of the primaries relative to the undertail coverts.

 

Nick Komar

Fort Collins

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