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Flycatcher & warbler - St Lucia, Caribbean (1 Viewer)

HelenB

Opus Editor and Expat from Cumbria
Opus Editor
The flycatcher was seen at the Mabouya Historical Park, on the eastern side of St Lucia. We were lucky to get a fairly decent shot as the rain was pretty bad for most of the visit. Think it might be a Caribbean Elaenia?

We also got the St Lucia Warbler there, although the tour guide called it an Adelaide's Warbler, which is very similar, but endemic to Puerto Rico!!! He was not a birding guide - we were on a cruise ship excursion.

One other question - we saw Common Moorhens on a pond in front of the Auberge Seraphim hotel/restaurant, near the harbor in Castries. My book says they are rare/accidental in St Lucia. Any comments on this?

Thanks....
 

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The warbler is Adelaide's Warbler, it does occur on St. Lucia and I've not heard of St. Lucia Warbler (perhaps a recent split or just a synonym, what's its scientific name?) not sure of the Flycatcher, perhaps Lesser Antillean Pewee, looks too large headed for an Elaenia.

Rob
 
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St. Lucia Warbler (perhaps a recent split or just a synonym, what's its scientific name?)

It's a recent split from Adelaide's. The new scientific name is Dendroica delicata, and the other split from the complex is Barbuda Warbler D. subita.
 
not sure of the Flycatcher, perhaps Lesser Antillean Pewee, looks too large headed for an Elaenia. Rob

I have the "Birds of the West Indies", Raffaele, Wiley, et al, published 2003, and I don't think it's a pewee, as it has wing bars and the underparts are very pale. The field guide shows the pewees as having yellowish-brown underparts and no wing bars. I suppose it could be an empid, such as Willow Flycatcher, or an Eastern Wood-Pewee, on their way north - we were there on March 7th, 08.
 
It's a recent split from Adelaide's. The new scientific name is Dendroica delicata, and the other split from the complex is Barbuda Warbler D. subita.

Thanks for the info, JT. Nice to know that the tour guide wasn't way off the mark!
 
Your flycatcher looks extremely contrasty for a Caribbean Elaenia (see for example http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=32164), but I dont know what else it would be in St Lucia and structurally I think it is OK. I don't think it is the pewee, see http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31575 (St Lucia Pewee, even if it is a separate species [debatable, not recognized by the major checklists], is not that different from this Lesser Antillean Pewee).

I think the warbler has been answered correctly already, and I would not think twice over seeing a common moorhen in St Lucia; at least, I don't think it is that rare here in Dominica, two islands to the north.

Cheers
Niels

PS You should upload the warbler to the gallery, there is only two images already, and not too great in quality (they are mine, so its my own toes I step on).
 
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I think the warbler has been answered correctly already, and I would not think twice over seeing a common moorhen in St Lucia; at least, I don't think it is that rare here in Dominica, two islands to the north.

Cheers
Niels

PS You should upload the warbler to the gallery, there is only two images already, and not too great in quality (they are mine, so its my own toes I step on).

Here's a shot of the moorhen. I had seen the rare/accidental listing on the Clements 6th edition on the Avibase website.

I will upload the warbler to the Gallery as soon as I can - thanks for the information on the flycatcher.
 

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Niels thought the flycatcher looked extremely contrasty - perhaps I over-processed it. This is how it came out of the camera - 1/200s at f5.6, ISO 200, lens at 400mm, taken just after the rain stopped.
 

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I am not sure where Denis (Avibase) has gotten his St Lucia checklist from, but not the Clements checklist; it is not that detailed. In the hardcover version of Raffaele (1998), Common Moorhen is listed as "uncommon" which is defined as "not seen every day", but "at least twice a year". There is no doubt your id is correct.

Your original of the flycatcher does look very contrasty, but still, I would put it down as a Caribbean Elaenia, because the nearest alternative, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, should have a yellow belly which your bird does not show, and that would probably be a first for SL anyway. The Empids and Wood-Pewee are not on the SL list in Raffaele. The drawing of Wood-Pewee in Raffaele had me going for a second, but look at for example this image: http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=105966. The bill is much longer and stronger than in your bird.

Cheers
Niels
 
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