Willow Flycatcher perched on a twig – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
All summer long I have heard Willow Flycatchers up in some of the Wasatch Mountain Canyons but had been unable to capture quality images of them. They were always too far away but I did enjoy hearing them whenever I was around them.
Listen to the song of a Willow Flycatcher here.
Some birds are already on the move or getting staged for migration and I realized yesterday that Willow Flycatchers are heading down from the high country creeks, streams, lakes, wet meadows and other riparian areas where there are willows and that they will soon head south to Mexico, Central and South America for the winter.
Yesterday I was able to photograph a single Willow Flycatcher out on the island that was hawking for insects, a few times it came out into the open and I took advantage of that to capture some of my only images of Willow Flycatchers this year.
There were two other birds I saw yesterday on Antelope Island that I typically do not see down in the valley except during migration. The first was a female or young MacGillivray’s Warbler which breed in Utah that was foraging for insects from some greasewoods and while I watched it I also spotted a Townsend’s Warbler foraging in the greasewoods too, they do not breed in Utah but migrate through here.
Ready or not there are signs that fall migration is underway.
Life is good. Birds are great.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Willow Flycatcher photos plus facts and information about this species.
A subtle charmer.
Great photo of a bird I don’t remember ever seeing before….
Lovely brown bird! For me it looks similar to female buntings. I would never have guessed what it was.
What a sweet little bird. So glad you got a photo so you could post it.
Nice work. A very clear image.