Possible Buff-breasted Flycatcher Coastal W. Mexico (1 Viewer)

[SueO]

Hi All. I think I have a Buff-breasted Flycatcher, but not 100% sure. I don't know what else it could be. It will be a lifer so I would like confirmation or correction. I am unsure for a few reasons. One is that according to the range map, the bird doesn't come down all the way to sea level. I questioned the cresty look. In the guide illustration, the bird seems to have a smoother head than the other empids. However, all the feathers look a bit ravaged. Also I had terrible views in the field. My glasses kept fogging every time I put my bins to them. It's very humid here. My photos stink and the side views are even worse. In regards to range--I did go to ebird and saw that someone posted a sighting in La Manzanilla in 2020. The town is coastal and not too far north of us. Thank-you.

 

[KenM]

Sue high,

Full frontals are not the best angles however, your image does show a suggestion of buff orange to the chest…don’t know if any confusion species within range would show this, also the eye-ring looks good.
With Eurasian Wood Warblers turning up in California…who needs to worry about range.🤣

Cheers

 

[SueO]

My Sibley's illustration shows a typical empid crest on his illustration. Not as pronounced as Pacific Slope or Cordilleran, but still there, unlike the illustration in my Mexico book. I googled images and found some that looked good for BB. Here is a link. The fourth image shows a crest pretty well.

Buff-breasted Flycatcher – HollandWest

 

[SueO]

Hi Ken,
Was posting at same time as you. As far as I'm concerned all empids are confusing. It's not that far out of range and I have found other species here that weren't listed as being in range; White-throated Thrush comes to mind without looking at notes. I have images of it and have seen it here a few times over the years. The range map for it also shows it doesn't quite go to sea level. Just looked it up while typing--guide book makes a note that 'winter wandering occurs but is poorly known'. Maybe the same for BB?
Edit: I do have a few side shots, but they are worthless.

 

[SueO]

I got so wrapped up in trying to ID this "Buff-breasted Flycatcher" and later that night putting buckets under all the leaks on the boat, and the next day caulking and tarping to get ready for more rain from Hurricane Roslyn, that I completely forgot about the empid I saw on the same walk about a half hour after I saw the one posted here. I finally finished going through the photos for this day and saw the one I'll post now. First, let me say I saw three empids on this walk. The first looked like the usual Pacific Slope I often see here. It was perched fairly low which is where I usually see them. The other two were about mid tree. I'm not even going to try to ID this one. I'm empidonaxed out. I'm posting in case someone else is able to ID. The photo is a bit better. I am posting the first photo without any changes other than cropping. Photo two has 'autocorrect' applied. The third photo I'm posting is the first bird I posted with 'autocorrect' applied. Confused yet? I should know to just write off the empids as empid species and let it go, but I must be a masochist.

 

[KenM]

No masochism there Sue!…you’re just rising to the challenge…..and what a challenge! 😮👍

 

[Prestdj]

why is it not a buff breasted flycatcher?