Flycatcher ID help

A bit stuck on this one. Can't decide between Alder or Willow Flycatcher. Song sounded good for Willow, but ...
Any thoughts?
Shot in Southern Ontario.

cheers,
jim

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Cant help with the ID but these are beautiful shots. Excellent work.

Looks like a little birdie to me...

Shot is OUTSTANDING though...

Very nice captures. I wish I could help more with the ID...Both fantastic!!

Nice shots. I think it's a Gray Flycatcher.

http://www.birds.corne​ll.edu …uide/Gray_Flyca​tcher.html

I've got a very detailed book on visual seperation of the Empids. I'll check when I get home.

Reyno wrote:
Nice shots. I think it's a Gray Flycatcher.

http://www.birds.corne​ll.edu …uide/Gray_Flyca​tcher.html

Thanks for the effort, Reyno, but Southern Ontario is a bit out of the Gray's range. Sibley's Field Guide to Eastern North America doesn't list it, and one of my reference books for Ontario birds lists it as an "accidental". Double-checked the Cornell site (which I had already checked for Willow and Alder songs) and the Gray's song is different than what I heard.
But, damn, these guys all look alike don't they? Can be as frustrating as some of the warblers!!!

cheers, and thanks again,
Jim

Lovely shots Jim, can't help with ID, hav'nt seen ANY Flycatchers before. Beautiful.
Regards Alan.

Takes an expert to tell the difference between an Alder and a Willow Flycatcher. Thats not me. These two birds were once thought to be the same species. Habitat and voice can help. Some members here like Blackburnian, Dancad or ngannet may be able to offer an opinion.

Both are nice photos , good detail, great light, color and bokeh. Very nice!

Beautiful shots first off, love the colors, sharpness, bokeh. As detailed as this shot is, it's almost impossible for me to tell. I'd have to go with Willow as well, based on what I can see as the eye ring is not as distinct as Alder's should be. You mentioned voice which is a good way of separating the two.

kinda looks like an Eastern Wood Peewee to me

Yeah, they are all so similar! I wouldn't rule out any of the flycatchers especially the empids! What kind of habitat was it in?

Excellent shots of the mystery bird. That second one trips my trigger.

Zip

I have four reference books that consider visual clues for the empids: Kenn Kaufman's Advanced Birding, Bill Thompson III's Identify Yourself, Master Guide to Birding Volume 2 and the Sibley’s guide to the Birds. Thompson's work is a great effort with wonderful color drawings and a clean simple approach. I want to thank you for re-acquainting me with this almost forgotten treasure.

First of all, a couple of years ago it would have been, without a doubt, a Triall's Flycatcher. However, based on range and voice, Triall's Flycatcher was split into two species Alder and Willow Flycatchers with the Willow Flycatcher keeping the species name “triallii”. All my references say that trying to separate these species by sight is not reliable. Voice is the best indication with the Willow having a much accented first note. I’ve got Willow on my life list from Schenectady, NY and clearly remember the very sharp first note. I’ve never heard or seen Alder so can’t help you there although the books show either an un-accented rree-beea or a rree-BEEA with the second note accented for Alder.

The Audubon Master Guide and Thompson’s book both point to breeding habitat has fairly reliable so…

If your feet were damp when you took the picture the bird is likely an Alder. If your feet were dry and dusty then it was a Willow.

If I had to guess based on the picture, I would go with Willow because of the very white throat and indistinct eye-ring.

Thanks to all for you input, and especially to Rubberhead for the much-appreciated extra effort and detail in the reply.
Think I'll stick with Willow.

cheers,
jim