{"id":89045,"date":"2021-05-25T04:55:28","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T10:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=89045"},"modified":"2025-11-10T12:13:58","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T18:13:58","slug":"resting-willow-flycatcher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/25\/resting-willow-flycatcher\/","title":{"rendered":"Resting Willow Flycatcher"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-163347 size-full\" title=\"Resting adult Willow Flycatcher, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700.jpg\" alt=\"Resting adult Willow Flycatcher, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20643%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700-600x429.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Resting adult Willow Flycatcher \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The last time I was up in the Wasatch Mountains I heard several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xeno-canto.org\/597715\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">&#8220;FITZ-bew&#8221; calls<\/span><\/a> but didn&#8217;t see a single Willow Flycatcher out in the open. At least not where I could photograph one.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m hoping that when I get back into the mountains I will hear, see, and photograph one or more of these small flycatchers again. I adore hearing and having them in my viewfinder.<\/p>\n<p>When I have Willow Flycatchers in my viewfinder they are magnified by the power of my lens. Then when I see them up close with my naked eyes sometimes I am taken aback by how small they actually are without that magnification.<\/p>\n<p>Willow Flycatchers aren&#8217;t flashy or colorful birds but they don&#8217;t need to be to draw my attention. They can be challenging birds to locate and photograph but knowing their behaviors, their habitat, their calls, and having plenty of patience can increase the odds of getting high quality images of them.<\/p>\n<p>I photographed the Willow Flycatcher in the photo above on May 31, 2019 in Summit County in the Wasatch Mountains. The flycatcher was resting in between calling and foraging.<\/p>\n<p>I am very much looking forward to my first photos of this species this year.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/willow-flycatcher-images\/\">here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Willow Flycatcher photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The last time I was up in the Wasatch Mountains I heard several &#8220;FITZ-bew&#8221; calls but didn&#8217;t see a single Willow Flycatcher out in the open.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":163347,"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":[27,1731,26,773,3805],"tags":[4004,4897,3940,3807,5241,3808,4884,5370,4069,4104,4156,9626,165,6107,3806],"class_list":["post-89045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","category-willow-flycatchers","tag-adult","tag-branch","tag-canyon","tag-empidonax-traillii","tag-empids","tag-flycatcher","tag-flycatchers","tag-forest","tag-mountains","tag-perched","tag-resting","tag-riparian-habitat","tag-spring","tag-willow","tag-willow-flycatcher"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-adult-willows-mia-mcpherson-3700.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nad","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":103623,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/25\/creekside-willow-flycatcher\/","url_meta":{"origin":89045,"position":0},"title":"Creekside Willow Flycatcher","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 25, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This creekside Willow Flycatcher photo was a highlight and my favorite photo that I took yesterday while I was high in the mountains looking for birds.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Creekside Willow Flycatcher, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/willow-flycatcher-perched-by-creek-mia-mcpherson-1232.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/willow-flycatcher-perched-by-creek-mia-mcpherson-1232.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/willow-flycatcher-perched-by-creek-mia-mcpherson-1232.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/willow-flycatcher-perched-by-creek-mia-mcpherson-1232.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58258,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/05\/31\/calling-willow-flycatcher-hearing-fitz-bew-clinched-the-id\/","url_meta":{"origin":89045,"position":1},"title":"Calling Willow Flycatcher &#8211; Hearing FITZ-bew Clinched The ID","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Because of a two part call, FITZ-bew, I had no trouble identifying a flycatcher that I saw, photographed and heard yesterday morning in the Wasatch Mountains as a Willow Flycatcher.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Willow Flycatcher, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-calling-mia-mcpherson-2637.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-calling-mia-mcpherson-2637.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-calling-mia-mcpherson-2637.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-calling-mia-mcpherson-2637.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":103789,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/02\/one-wary-dusky-flycatcher\/","url_meta":{"origin":89045,"position":2},"title":"One Wary Dusky Flycatcher","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 2, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"There is a story behind these Dusky Flycatcher photos that I took earlier this week while I sat in my Jeep next to a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bird ID&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bird ID","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/bird-identification\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wary Dusky Flycatcher, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/dusky-flycatcher-mia-mcpherson-1524.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/dusky-flycatcher-mia-mcpherson-1524.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/dusky-flycatcher-mia-mcpherson-1524.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/dusky-flycatcher-mia-mcpherson-1524.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":68319,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/04\/13\/photographing-willow-flycatchers\/","url_meta":{"origin":89045,"position":3},"title":"Photographing Willow Flycatchers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Once I'm in Willow Flycatcher habitat the next thing I do is to listen for them. I often hear Willow Flycatchers before I see them because they can blend into their habitat well.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-habitat-mia-mcpherson-6673.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104467,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/23\/willow-flycatcher-in-july\/","url_meta":{"origin":89045,"position":4},"title":"Willow Flycatcher In July","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 23, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I spent a few minutes with a cooperative adult Willow Flycatcher in a willow thicket high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Willow Flycatcher on a July morning, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/willow-flycatcher-adult-in-july-mia-mcpherson-7074.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/willow-flycatcher-adult-in-july-mia-mcpherson-7074.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/willow-flycatcher-adult-in-july-mia-mcpherson-7074.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/willow-flycatcher-adult-in-july-mia-mcpherson-7074.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":73293,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/30\/willow-flycatcher-and-thoughts-about-fall-migration\/","url_meta":{"origin":89045,"position":5},"title":"Willow Flycatcher And Thoughts About Fall Migration","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Willow Flycatcher hunting prey from a willow perch, Wasatch Mountains, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/willow-flycatcher-in-a-willow-mia-mcpherson-7699.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-a-willow-mia-mcpherson-7699.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89045\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}