English and Scientific names:

Say's Phoebe; Sayornis saya

Number of individuals: 

1 in adult plumage.

Locality: LOUISIANA: 

Claiborne

Specific Locality:

LSU Hill Farm

Date(s) when observed:

12/05/09, 12/06/09; 12/14/09; 01/01/10; 01/18/10; 01/23/10

Time(s) of day when observed:  

The bird was only observed late morning or early afternoon.

Reporting observer and address:

John Dillon
Athens, LA 71003

Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

Mary Ellen Lewis, Steve Pagans, Joan Brown, Gerry Click, Chuck Hughes, Charley Savell, Stephanie Foster, Morgan Johnson.

Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)

Rosemary Seidler, Hubert Hervey.

Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):

Conditions were always good.  Bird was never in a shaded area; it always perched in the open.  The one exception was on January 01, 2010, when I saw in sallying from a Sweet Gum tree.  Sky was either clear or overcast, but never dark.

Optical equipment: 

Alpen Rainier binoculars 8x42, excellent condition; Alpen 20x-60x scope w/80mm objective lens, excellent condition.

Distance to bird(s): 

As little as twenty-five feet (12/05/10 after the bird responded to taped call). 

Duration of observation:

Initial observation was the longest and lasted probably 20 to 30 minutes. 

Habitat: 

The LSU Hill Farm is 1,488 acres of primarily open, short-grass pasture.  The immediate vicinity (500 feet in any direction) consisted of three small ponds, a few scattered hardwoods mostly around one of the ponds, two new, never-used chicken houses (where I believe the bird roosted but have no proof) in a gravel parking lot, and short grass pasture with rolling hills.

Behavior of bird: 

12/05/09 - I was leading a field trip at the LSU Hill Farm for Steve Pagans, Joan Brown, Gerry Click, Chuck Hughes, and Mary Ellen Lewis.  We were on the unnamed road where the chicken houses are when I turned and saw a bird on a fence that was somewhat backlit. Nobody could identify it initially.  It bobbed its tail like an Eastern Phoebe, but it appeared somewhat larger, and it had a slight pinkish or peach coloration on its belly and flanks.  I thought it could be a SaPh, but wanted a better look in better light.  We walked south along the road to our vehicles, and I pulled out my scope, a 20x-60x, 80mm Alpen.  I identified the bird as a SaPh through the scope; everyone else agreed.  The front of the bird\'s head, its primaries and tail were dark, and the belly, flanks, and undertail coverts (now that the bird was seen in good light) were definitely the peachy coloration indicative of SaPh.  There was no streaking on
 the chest as there is in female Vermillion Flycatchers.  The chest was a solid light gray, fading into the peach color on the belly.  The bird bobbed its tail constantly, but there was no coloration suggesting that it may have been an Eastern Phoebe.  I played the SaPh call on my iPod, and the bird immediately flew closer to us, allowing for Steve Pagans to get at least a couple dozen sufficient photos.

12/06/09 - I went back to the same location and got photos and video of the bird.

12/14/09 - I, along with students Charley Savell, Stephanie Foster, and Morgan Johnson, got photos and video of the bird at the same location during the Claiborne CBC.  This time, the bird first appeared perched high on a wire.

01/01/10 - I saw the bird through my scope behind the chicken houses sallying over a pond and perching in Sweet Gums at the pond's edge.  It perched much higher than I’ve ever seen an Eastern Phoebe perch - possibly as high as 50 or 60 feet from the ground at times. It was too far away for photos, but I had clear looks through the scope.

01/18/10 - I got photos and video again of the bird behind the chicken houses as it perched on the fence and sallied to the ground for flying insects.

01/23/10 - Hubert Hervey observed the bird in the same location.  He documented it in eBird for the LWBA, and, so far, has been the last birder to see it.

Description:

Bird was slightly larger and more elongated than Eastern Phoebe.  Bill was stout and dark black. Eyes were dark.  Coloration of head was dark gray in front (lores, crown, auriculars), but lighter on nape.  Light ash coloration continued from nape to back.  Primaries appeared dark with all-dark tail; secondaries appeared to be edged in white but with a low contrast, as if the feathers were simply worn more than anything else.  Peach coloration was distinct on belly, flanks, and undertail coverts.  Chest was lighter gray than the head and back.  No stripes, barring, or streaking on any kind was present.  Bird bobbed tail constantly. 

Voice:

Bird never vocalized during any observations.  Its only response to tapes was to come in quickly.

Similar species:

The bird had no yellowish coloration like Eastern Phoebe.  It was also more elongated than Eastern Phoebe.  It also often perched on power lines or high in trees (as much as 50-60 feet); I've never seen Eastern Phoebe perch so high.  The chest was smooth with no streaking like that of female Vermillion Flycatcher.  

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?

I will email a photo by Steve Pagans taken 12/05/09 to Donna Dittmann after I submit this.  I will email other photos tomorrow (03/04/10).

Previous experience with this species: 

At the initial sighting, I had just returned from a trip to the Rio Grande Valley two weeks earlier where I saw several SaPh's. 

Identification aids:

Sibley; Kaufman.  The peach coloration in our bird contrasts highly with the gray, more like the illustration in Sibley than the washed out image in Kaufman.

This description is written from: 

notes made after the observation and memory

Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain: 

 

 I am absolutely positive. 

Date and time: 

March 3, 2010;