On 11 June, I went to see and hear the Lincoln County candidate Alder
Flycatcher. When I arrived the weather was still very cool and THE bird was
singing vigorously. Right where Crab Creek is crossed by Rocky Ford Rd,
there was an easy Willow Flycatcher, singing it's classic fitz-bew song. It
looked quite brown on the upperparts.
Here I went through the gate then along the trail about 200-300 feet. Along
the
creek was the bird in question. I listened to it for 1 hour and 28 minutes
[0741-0909]. The candidate bird looked slightly more greenish on the
upperparts with a slight yellow wash to the belly.[Might not be good for ID
of species but might help in IDing an individual] It was singing from alders
and box elders on the north side of the creek.
At times I could hear it and the Willow singing at the same time. The
candidate definitely had a burrier voice. There is no question about that.
This equates to more R's when I wrote written descriptions of what the
bird sounded like.
The second item that was clear is that the candidate bird is singing two
types of songs....at least two. I heard a number of these two types of
songs:
A: ree bew. Always 2 syllable.This song had the emphasis on the first
syllable and was at the same pitch as a Willow. At one point the candidate
and the Willow sang back and forth and this was very clear...the candidate
was singing a burry Willow-type song with the same emphasis on the first
syllable, the second syllable dropping in pitch a little. The overall
emphasis on the
first note and the pitch of the songs of these two birds were the same. I
don't think I've ever hear of an Alder Flycatcher with a song like that.
B: A very burry rree-breet or ree-bree. Always 2 syllable.This song was
unlike the first song type in that both syllables were given with about the
same emphasis. It was also burrier and a little lower in pitch than song
type A.
This song could be an Alder-type song but this did not sound like the
reebeeo
on the Peterson Western Bird Songs CD. I am wondering if this is a lower
intensity
variation of
the Willow song?
The candidate also gave a sharp emphatic rrikk. I heard this at very close
range. I have heard Willow's give this same note in the past. I am not sure
if this is a short song or a call note. I think I have only heard males
give
this "call" [identified behaviorally].
Also towards the end of the session the candidate bird gave about 4 very
flat,
low-volume kep calls,an Alder-type call note.

Thought you might like to know what I heard.

Dave Beaudette
Wenatchee,WA