Friday, June 3, 2011

Acadian Flycatchers Have Arrived On The Scene

It was only about 3 years ago that I took the time to learn the call of the Acadian Flycatcher. I found out that its call which is referred to by other birders as the "pizza" call did not sound that way to me. I would describe it as sounding like a chipmunk with the hiccups. Since familiarizing myself with its call, I have been able to hear a couple of them each year.


    The photo, which was taken in Meshomasic Forest, represents the first good look I've had of one outside of my field guide. The Acadian Flycatcher is the largest of the Empidonax flycatchers. You can see the greenish color along with the prominent wing bars and eye ring. The next day, I came across three more of them. I found one in a different part of Meshomasic Forest, one on the rail trail in East Hampton, and  another on the outer edge of Hurd Park. There must be a good crop of them this year!
 
Just curious, does anyone know what kind of flower this is?
 
I don't always pay close attention to butterflies while birding but there were a lot of them near the reservoir on Tuesday. Most were Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and Spicebush Swallowtails. I noticed one of them didn't have a long tail like the others. I looked it up on-line and believe it's a Red-spotted Purple which would be a new one for me.
                                          
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   I managed to capture a brief clip of the Acadian Flycatcher during one of its peet-sah calls.

5 comments:

Gaelyn said...

I'd have only heard the peet-sah because you told me. Are you sure it wasn't the same bird just following you around? Gorgeous butterfly. The Meshomasic Forest seems like a great place for a nature fix.

Chris said...

Superb that the acadian are back. My, this blue butterfly is awesome!

Anonymous said...

The flower is a spiderwort. There is a small native variety, but I think the one in your picture is a garden escape.

I enjoy your blog.

Lana Gramlich said...

Your flower looks like spiderwort. As for the sounds birds make, I could never hear them as people "say" they are (aka, the "tea kettle tea kettle tea kettle" of the Carolina wren.) Birdsong and human speech share nothing in common, really and I find that trying to associate them as many do just doesn't work for me.

Cindy said...

That little fuzzy spotted sandpiper is a cutie, what a great capture!