Subject: Likely Empidonax flycatcher Fauntleroy Pk, Seattle, butterflies too.
Date: Apr 5 16:12:46 2004
From: Stewart Wechsler - ecostewart at quidnunc.net


On Thursday 4/1, I saw a small FLYCATCHER perching and fly-catching in
Fauntleroy Park in West Seattle from lower in a deciduous tree in the mixed
woods there. I believe it was an EMPIDONAX, but I didn't take the time to
verify which species of small flycatcher it was. It definitely wasn't a
kinglet and wasn't an olive-sided.

I was more focused on butterflies at that time, trying to follow a Satyr
Anglewing. Earlier in that walk I was noting what seemed like large numbers
and substantial diversity of flies, bees and wasps for this time of the year
and was thinking that there should be flycatchers.

I thought the flycatcher sighting was noteworthy, but hadn't checked Hunn
and Wahl/Paulson until now to see that they show no Empidonax records in
their (older) books this early in this area.

Also in butterfly news:

Today I saw my first "Lady" butterfly of the year, near the mouth of the
Duwamish R. in Seattle, at "Herring House Park", west of Kellogg Is., but it
flew out of sight before I could verify which species. My first Spring
Azure (aka Echo Blue) was after the flycatcher on 4/1 at Lincoln Park,
Seattle. (Cabbage Whites are now moderately common.)

Stewart Wechsler
West Seattle
mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net


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