This weekend proved to be excellent birding both here in Port Alberni
(mid-vancouver island, almost the geographic centre) and on the outer
coast-Tofino (see Tropical Kingbird post).

On both days, I was able to get good looks at a fall empid, unlike a
previous posting where I had very poor looks at a previous bird.
DESCRIPTION: a small empid that frequently flicked its wings (recalling
kinglet) and pumped its tail in a straight vertical fashion. Many times
these two movements appeared simultaneous.

upperparts-- solidly coloured from nape to tail, on the bright side of
olive. The tail was notched and fairly broad and of medium length. At one
point, the outer tail feathers showed a fringe of buff. tail movements
described above.

bill-- the bill was only seen in profile and not from underneath. The upper
mandible was dark (black) and the lower mandible was yellow (apparently from
base to tip). The bill was fairly short and thin.

Head-- rounded and often sporting a peaked rear crown, not the big-headed
look of Least.
the eye was dark with a complete white ring-seen only upon close inspection,
however the post-ocular region was most prominent, a smudge of white- again
recalling Kinglet.
The olive upperparts mixed into gray at eye level, becoming grayer below the
eye and into the throat and upper breast.

underparts-- upper chest and throat gray, then running into yellowish green,
rather bright and extending to lower belly. (undertail?) The primary
extension was long, too long for any Least that I have ever seen.


no vocalizations were given.

Personally I believe this bird to be a Hammond's Flycatcher for the
following reasons:

bright plumage would seem to indicate Hammond's since they moult before
heading south,
white, non-symmetrical eye ring eliminates many other flycatchers
small bill is characteristic of Hammond's
its silent nature is also a characteristic of Hammond's (if that's worth
anything)
the long primary extension is a characteristic of Hammond's
(the only feature that suggests anything but Hammond's imho, is the
extensive yellow on the lower mandible)
the date is also suggestive of Hammond's, there are at least two other
October records in the province (for what that's worth).

The following is a list of the most significant sightings of Oct. 4\5 for
the valley. (and in no particular order)

Hammond's Flycatcher 1 Oct.4/5 (found with flock of warblers and remained
with them over the two days)
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20 (4 of which were Audubon's-rarely seen this late
and never in winter) Oct 4\5
Black-throated Gray Warbler 2 Oct. 5
Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Oct.5
Yellow Warbler 1 Oct. 5
Common Yellowthroat 7 Oct. 4, 5 Oct. 5
Townsend's Warbler 1 Oct. 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Oct. 5 (signifying tail end of this migration)
White-throated Sparrow 1 Oct. 4 (tawny ssp.)
GWF Goose 2 Oct. 4
A. Coot 1 Oct. 4
Long-billed Dowitcher 19 Oct. 4
Red Phalarope 8 Oct. 4
Black-bellied Plover 2 Oct. 4 (very few sightings for the valley)
Spotted Sandpiper 1 Oct. 4
Greater Yellowlegs 1 Oct. 5
Herring Gull 1 ad. Oct. 4 (again very few records)
Turkey Vulture 4 Oct. 4
Eurasian Wigeon 1 female Oct. 4 (first record of this sex)
Bewick's Wren 6 Oct. 5 (rather numerous this year)


cheers,

Don Cecile
dcecile at cln.etc.bc.ca