Yes, please do provide details on any winter/ late fall kingbirds. If
possible describe any sounds from the bird, as Couch's Kingbirds are very
similar to Tropicals.
Thanks for posting this note so quickly.

Tom Schooley, Olympia WA , dunlin at mail.tss.net
"The earth that directed itself instinctively in its former phases
seems now to be entering a phase of conscious decision
through its human expression." -Thomas Berry

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> From: Henry Gilmore <hgilmore at willapabay.org>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Tropical Kingbird at South Bend
> Date: Monday, October 20, 1997 8:41 PM
>
> On my way back from South Bend I spotted a very bright yellow
> breasted Kingbird perched on a wire. I quickly found a place to turn
> around and went back to investigate this bird. It had remained where I
> first observed it and when I looked through my binoculars, I knew I had
> found a Tropical Kingbird. I had the opportunity to see Tropical
Kingbirds
> in Costa Rica last March and I feel confident in identifying the bird as
a
> Tropical Kingbird. It had the large thick bill, bright yellow breast and
> under parts with no graying of the upper breast, gray head, dark mask,
> mostly white throat, grayish olive back, no white on the outer tail
feather
> and a notch in the tail (although a rather scraggly one). I was able to
> put my scope up and observe it for about 10 minutes before it flew off to
a
> post in the field. The location of the kingbird is about 3-4 miles on
the
> west side of South Bend. Highway 101 is very straight for a long ways
and
> then turns to the left. The kingbird was on the wires just at the sign
> showing the curve approaching. There is a wooden coral and a metal gate
on
> the right side of the road and also a metal gate on the left side of the
> road. I hope someone else has the good fortune of finding the bird. I
saw
> the kingbird around 3PM on Monday Oct. 20th. I do have more complete
notes
> and a sketch if this species is regarded in Washington as a rare bird.
> Also, on the way home I decided I need to stretch my legs and stopped at
> the Lewis Unit of the Willapa NWR and walked out the dike at the lower
end
> of the bay. I did find a Northern Shrike at the place where the road
rises
> up onto the dike. A nice way to finish a good day of birding.
>
> Henry Gilmore
> Surfside, WA
> hgilmore at willapabay.org