17 July 2010, Parker River NWR, Plum Island, Newburyport, Massachusetts.

These small flycatchers were fairly common in the thickets. They were giving a "whit" call-note and seemed to have a reduced eyering compared to other possible Empidonax flycatchers. Also they showed a fairly long bill with pale mandible. Their tail flicking was fairly smooth, not jerky like Least Flycatcher.

The Willow Flycatcher was formerly lumped with the Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) under the combined name Trail's Flycatcher. They are usually considered inseparable in the field except by song. As these birds were not singing, I could be wrong about their identification, but the only Empidonax reported at the time from this area was Willow, so I feel fairly comfortable calling it that. Apparently they are a common breeder there, with Alder only a migrant.

http://www.bartonstreet.com/tom/birds/pisightings.html

Also it is my understanding that Alder Flycatcher usually has a different call-note, a hard "pip" compared to the more liquid "whit" of the Willow
Flycatcher.

This is the nominate eastern subspecies Empidonax traillii traillii which has more contrasting tertial fringes compared to E. t. brewsteri with which
I am familiar in the West. The yellow wing margins are visible here and this is another difference between Eastern Willow and western Willow
Flycatcher which lack the bright white or yellow wing edges. Western Willow also usually lack the eyering, or have the eyering more subdued than in Eastern Willow Flycatchers.

Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope 3 | 30X WA | hand-held
(no adapter)