Tweets,

One reason for my skepticism is that when Wayne Weber reported an Alder
Flycatcher up at Champoney Slough some dozen years ago (the last time the
WOS convention was held in the Okanogan) Phil Mattocks and I dashed up to
look for it and found among the Willows at the spot designated a singing
Willow/Alder type that sounded quite different from all the other Willows
and that sounded vaguely Alder-like to our ears. I recorded it and
subsequently transcribed the sonograph. We were initially convinced we'd
nailed it down, but when we played our recording to Wayne and everybody else
at the WOS convention they all said it wasn't an Alder. The sonographs
confirmed that, though it was not a typical Willow it was certainly not an
Alder. I still suspect it was a hybrid. Wayne is convinced the bird he heard
there initially was an Alder, so maybe there's a hybrid population there.
Who knows. In any case, just because it doesn't sound "right" for a Willow
doesn't mean it's an Alder. To confirm it for the state list should require
a definitive recording with sonograph. I recall also that the Alder
Flycatcher was listed as a breeding bird in northeastern Oregon for quite a
number of years until their bird records committee decided the birds were
just odd Willows.

Gene.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Corder" <ccorder at eoni.com>
To: "Inland Birders" <inland-nw-birders at uidaho.edu>;
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 9:56 PM
Subject: Re: Alder Flycatcher at Crab Creek, Lincoln Co., WA


> First Congrats to Bob Flores for this find.
> For what its worth, I thought I saw an Alder Flycatcher June 16, 1995 near
> LaGrande in NE Oregon (Bird Track Springs). The 2 note "fee brr" sounds
> like what it was doing. What really got my attention was that the Willow
> Flycatchers were attaching this poor bird. It was sitting less than 2
feet
> off the ground (almost hiding). Once in a while a "fee brr" would slip
out
> & one of at least 2 Willow's would fly in & peck it. I was less than 15
> feet away for 30 minutes. My darn tape recorder wouldn't work. It was
gone
> when I returned.
> Has anyone else (Jack?) noted such conflicts in areas where both species
> exist? (central BC).
>
> Good discussion.
> Craig Corder
> Hermiston, OR & Cheney, WA
> ccorder at eoni.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Scott G. Downes" <Downess at cwu.EDU>
> To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 11:36 PM
> Subject: Re: Alder Flycatcher still at Crab Creek, Lincoln Co., WA
>
>
> > Tweets,
> > While the bird was giving the two noted call note, similar to hammonds,
> but sharper, it was also giving the classic song. I guess everyone hears
> songs differently. I hear Alders as a two noted fee-brr, although some
> people call it free-beer. All of the alders that I encountered around
> fairbanks,AK while working there demonstrated this song.
> > I'm not familiar with other areas of alders range and there could well
be
> differences in songs. However, the bird we had this morning demonstrated
> both call note and song that I'm familar with in association to alder. As
> the arrival date in central Alaska is first week of June, rather late for
a
> songbird, in fact one of the latest arrivals up there. The timing of this
> bird also seems to fit close to that time period.
> > I think caution is good, all I'm expressing is that to me it
demonstrated
> the characteristics in song that I'm familar with in alder. Hopefully the
> recording turned out ok, the bird was quite soft in its calls. Hopefully
> others can see the bird and we can let the committee decide on its
> acceptance.
> >
> > Good Birding.
> >
> > Scott Downes
> > downess at cwu.edu
> > Ellensburg WA
> >
> >
> > >>> Eugene Hunn <enhunn at attbi.com> 06/09/02 22:41 PM >>>
> > It is my understanding that Alder's most distinctive vocalization is
> distinctly three parted, fee-bay-o, accented on the second. It's been a
> while since I've heard one, but I've heard some quite atypical Willows
> locally.
> >
> > Gene Hunn.
> >
>