SANParks.org Forums

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/308 ... 38bf_b.jpg

This is from the restaurant at Storms river bridge in February, we think
it's an Ashy flycatcher?

/Neil

Hi there
Dusky flycatcher for Neil, i cant see any dark lores, and it appears very brown looking on my phone
best guesses

I'd say it's more grey than brown, thats what fooled me into looking at the Ashy flycatcher. But having a second look at the map, I see the Ashy
only goes down to East Londonish, my knowledge of South African geography is probably even worse than my birding skills! So that leaves us with the Dusky flycatcher, thanks Rusty!
/Neil

Neil, you have two species to consider due to coloration.

Ashy and Grey Tit Flycatchers. On location alone Ashy is the one to go with. But in GISS the Grey Tit Flycatcher sits more horizontally and the tail has white outer rectrices. The lore is distinctly black and that all points to Ashy Flycatcher.

Yay, finally some disagreement about flycatchers again! For Neil's one I must go with African Dusky Flycatcher like Rusty Justy says. WTM, I agree with your observation that the bird looks quite grey but Ashy Flycatcher is much more slender, longer bird (and doesn't occur at Storm's River). In my experience African Dusky often looks greyer than in the field guides.

Thanks JoelR. Obviously my attention is a bit deprived at the moment. I thought that he had seen it in East Londonish. That will teach me to read posts better!

Stormsriver is definitely no place to find Ashy and in that case I must change to African Dusky Flycatcher too.

As for the Flycatcher I'd have to go with African Dusky Flycatcher. The mottled underparts, absence of a lore and supercilium extending all the way to the base of the bill and distribution all point to that.

*EDIT* Hey cool, I see the forum now warns me if a new post has been made while I've been typing up mine. That is a way cool feature! Anyway, I'm sticking to my story.

Could someone ID these two for me.Both taken in the same tree in Kirstenbosch in January. I thought the second one was a juvenile but then thought the first was a willow warbler.

African Dusky Flycatcher??

I agree. The faint white eyering and eyebrow (from eye to bill) rule out Spotted Flycatcher which is the only other dumpy, brown flycatcher-type-of-thing.

Agreed! They're the most common of these lookalike Flycatchers there in the Cape. And BTW both are adult. The juv has white spots on his dark crown. Lovely bird and lovely pics!

Many thanks, guys. Another lifer to add to my meagre list!

I couldn't find a thread despite using the search funtion - sio here goes.

This afternoon in Paarl during the scorchng heat of 39 degrees at 15:00 on a wine farm near my house I sought the shade of some olive trees. I looked for strange shapes in the hope of finding a nest and saw what looked like three very large thorns - they were Flycatchers begging wide agape. I took the followinng photos (all with an 800mm lens so as not to disturb the birds. Even so I left after the female became a bit agitated and watched her feeding them from a respectable distance. What a lovely way to have spent a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Keep well
Pete

Lovely pics!!!

800mm lens!!!!!!!
LOvely pics. Thanks for sharing.