{"id":73293,"date":"2020-08-30T04:55:19","date_gmt":"2020-08-30T10:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=73293"},"modified":"2025-11-10T11:55:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T17:55:33","slug":"willow-flycatcher-and-thoughts-about-fall-migration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/30\/willow-flycatcher-and-thoughts-about-fall-migration\/","title":{"rendered":"Willow Flycatcher And Thoughts About Fall Migration"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WillowWillow Flycatcher hunting prey from a willow perch \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Three days ago I was pleased to photograph this Willow Flycatcher that was hunting prey from a willow near a creek in the Wasatch Mountains. I photographed the Yellow Warbler with that moth in its bill<\/span><\/a> that I shared yesterday from this same location.<\/p>\n

Note<\/em>: This flycatcher was silent but because of the location, the narrow eye ring and overall appearance of the bird I feel comfortable identifying this bird as a Willow Flycatcher.<\/p>\n

I took forty-eight photos of this flycatcher three days ago as it watched for flying insects from its perch and I realized that these might be the last Willow Flycatcher photos that I take this year. <\/span> It is time for them to migrate.<\/p>\n

I know I am going to miss hearing their FITZ-bew calls<\/span><\/a> and seeing them hawking for insects in the willow of the canyons over the coming winter.<\/p>\n

The day I photographed this Willow Flycatcher I saw several more flycatchers up in the mountain canyons including a few Western Wood-Pewees yet the next day I didn’t see any at all.<\/p>\n

Fall migration brings a mix of feelings for me. Sadness that the birds I have enjoyed photographing during the spring and summer will take wing and head to warmer climates.<\/p>\n

Happiness that I was able to spend time with them while they were here in northern Utah and excitement because I know that the birds that I only see during fall and winter have begun their journeys south.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Stay safe.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Willow Flycatcher photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I took forty-eight photos of this flycatcher three days ago as it watched for flying insects from its perch and I realized that these might be the last Willow Flycatcher photos that I take this year. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":163343,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,5921,4594,26,773,3805],"tags":[3940,3807,5241,3808,4884,530,4069,4104,9626,2315,6107,3806,902],"class_list":["post-73293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-east-canyon","category-morgan-county","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","category-willow-flycatchers","tag-canyon","tag-empidonax-traillii","tag-empids","tag-flycatcher","tag-flycatchers","tag-migration","tag-mountains","tag-perched","tag-riparian-habitat","tag-summer-3","tag-willow","tag-willow-flycatcher","tag-willows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-in-a-willow-mia-mcpherson-7699.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-j49","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":103623,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/25\/creekside-willow-flycatcher\/","url_meta":{"origin":73293,"position":0},"title":"Creekside 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McPherson","date":"August 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I was able to spend time taking Willow Flycatcher photos high in the mountains with clear skies overhead as I watched the flycatchers hunting for prey.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Willow Flycatcher resting on a fence, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-on-barbed-wire-mia-mcpherson-1646.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-on-barbed-wire-mia-mcpherson-1646.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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I often hear Willow Flycatchers before I see them because they can blend into their habitat well.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Willow Flycatcher perched on a hawthorn, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-habitat-mia-mcpherson-6673.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-habitat-mia-mcpherson-6673.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-habitat-mia-mcpherson-6673.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Serviceberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Obtaining decent photos of Willow Flycatchers in the Wasatch Mountains has been harder and more challenging for me this year than last and there are a few reasons for that.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Willow Flycatcher perched in a serviceberry shrub, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-in-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-5625.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-in-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-5625.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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