Birds in Nature - images of wild birds by Richard Ditch

Subject: Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
Place: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Date: September 2002
Equipment: Nikon N90S, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC14E (420/5.6 equiv.), tripod
Film: Fujichrome Sensia 100
Exposure: aperture priority matrix metered
Scan: Minolta Dimage, 80% of original frame

Commentary: "The bane of birdwatchers, flycatchers of the genus Empidonax are extremely difficult to identify" - National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. The Western Flycatcher was recently split into Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) and Cordilleran Flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis), which can only be separated in the field by the calls of the male. In fall migration where both species occur honest birders don't put either name to these troublesome birds and still use the inclusive former name as I have here.

Empids are small birds (5.5 inches) of high activity, darting out from their perch to grab various small insects. Keys to ID are the shape and color of the eyering, the color of the wingbars, the shade of yellow or green or buff on the breast, belly, and back, the length of the tail, the color and shape of the lower mandible, the amount of primary extension of the wing, and perhaps even the phase of the moon.This migrant spent five days in our yard, on a number of perches at thirty second intervals. I used my 1.4x converter instead of the 2x to gain one more stop of light, and shot through the closed window when it landed on this aloe.