Hi Tweeters,

I'm sitting here in Norman, OK (just SE of Oklahoma City) wrestling with a
bird ID dilemma on the night before I fly back to Seattle.

This evening (~8pm) while walking through the University of Oklahoma (OU)
campus, in a grassy area near buildings with several large deciduous
trees (oaks, to be precise), I espied a lovely yellow-bellied bird. I was
unable to clearly see the head, back, or side of this bird. The bird flew
out of the first oak tree, where it was joined by several others (three or
four in the end) in what seemed to be a bit of a territorial scuffle.
They were calling loudly, but it wasn't distinctive enough for me to pin
down the ID with recordings. Belly and lower breast were a bright yellow,
rest of the bird was dull; when it flew it had its tail somewhat fanned
out.

Pictures are here - apologies for the high resolution but tiny birds
(which hampers the ID)!

http://students.washington.edu/kjbyers/flycatcher1.jpg
http://students.washington.edu/kjbyers/flycatcher2.jpg
http://students.washington.edu/kjbyers/flycatcher3.jpg

I've nailed it down to either a Great Crested Flycatcher or a Western
Kingbird. Both are found in the area, and eBird thinks there have been
sightings of both in the area within the last 30 days. I really hope they
don't flock together...

Anyone have an idea?

Thanks!

Kelsey Byers (Wallingford/Greenlake)
Department of Biology
------------
kjbyers at uw.edu
(978)460-3581
KB1ONA