Probable Western Kingbird

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   For the second time in as many Saturdays, I found myself on the receiving end of a rare bird phone-in from Brian Zwiebel and Laura Stiefel.  
I just got off the phone with Brian, who described a bird that fit Western Kingbird quite well, and had the look been a bit longer, he would have felt more comfortable with the ID.
They are at Maumee Bay State Park, along the road that juts east along the cabins, on the north edge of the golf course.  Just past (east) where the small parking area is for the boardwalk, there is a pond on the north side of the road.  This is where they saw the bird fly over and perch "low" somewhere near the pond.  Laura says "near cabin 12".
They are trying to relocate it now, but if you have nothing better to do, it may not be a bad idea to head out there and poke around.  Maybe I'll see you there.
Once again, thanks to BZ and LS for getting the word out!
Greg

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
harpy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Eagle Joined: 24 January 2004 Location: Burkina Faso Online Status: Offline Posts: 725	Post Options Post Reply Quote harpy Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Probable Western Kingbird Posted: 10 December 2006 at 10:12am
	For the second time in as many Saturdays, I found myself on the receiving end of a rare bird phone-in from Brian Zwiebel and Laura Stiefel. I just got off the phone with Brian, who described a bird that fit Western Kingbird quite well, and had the look been a bit longer, he would have felt more comfortable with the ID. They are at Maumee Bay State Park, along the road that juts east along the cabins, on the north edge of the golf course. Just past (east) where the small parking area is for the boardwalk, there is a pond on the north side of the road. This is where they saw the bird fly over and perch "low" somewhere near the pond. Laura says "near cabin 12". They are trying to relocate it now, but if you have nothing better to do, it may not be a bad idea to head out there and poke around. Maybe I'll see you there. Once again, thanks to BZ and LS for getting the word out! Greg
	"I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me" -Lady GaGa

Brian Zwiebel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Eagle Joined: 28 January 2004 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 702	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian Zwiebel Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 December 2006 at 7:30pm
	Hi All, Thanks Greg for getting the word out, again people chase my rarebird reports and get skunked. By the way, today is Sunday Greg! I am now very confident of the Western Kingbird ID, due largely to Laura's view of the white outer tail feathers outlined below. I just posted the following to OH Birds: Western Kingbird, Maumee Bay St Park This morning Laura Stiefel and I had what was surely a Western Kingbird at Maumee Bay St Park (Oregon, OH). While driving east through the cabin area I spotted a medium-large, songbird with a long tail and dark back. It was perched on the tip of a tree just east of the boardwalk parking lot on the north side of the drive. The bird flushed while I was driving by and landed for just a second at the tip of another tree a little further east near cabin 12. The bird then flew north and landed a good distance away on the north side of a small pond. It perched facing us with an upright posture with the tail obscured in the brush. I was able to see a gray head, heavy bill and a yellow wash across the belly. I was considering Western Kingbird and Cassin's Kingbird at this time. Laura then asked if I had noticed the white outer tail feathers when the bird had flown between the two near trees. I had not, and will blame it on the fact that I was driving. At the time Laura commented on the tail feathers she was not aware that it was a field mark of either of the birds I was considering. Here is a quote from Laura: "Even after you mentioned your two possibilities I would have had to check a book to know if white outer tail feathers fit either bird." I think this is important in that it shows Laura as an unbiased observer of the field mark. The bird disappeared while I was parking and getting the camera out and could not be relocated over the next few hours. At the time of the close observation of the bird in flight it was slightly side lit, possibly causing the back to appear slightly darker than it was. When the bird was perched across the pond it was in perfect frontal lighting. I have observed Western Kingbird in several different locations in the southwest in the past few years, including point blank views at Pawnee Grasslands and in Fort Worth, TX in July of this year. Other birds of interest observed in the park today include 2- N. Harriers, a Rough-legged Hawk, 2-Brown Creepers, 5-Snow Buntings, a Greater White-fronted Goose and a handful of Swamp Sparrows. Hopefully some or all of the above birds will show themselves again for the Toledo CBC a week from today. Good Birding! BZ
	Brian Zwiebel Bird Photography Portfolio