• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Least Flycatcher in Iceland - new bird for WP (1 Viewer)

Edward

Umimmak
Iceland
I've just returned from the village of Stokkseyri on the south coast of Iceland where I was one of 10 lucky birders to see a Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), a new bird for the Western Palearctic as far as I'm aware. The bird flew into a house last night and eight of us drove over to see it late last night where it was identified. It was kept in captivity last night (a freezing windy night) and released this morning. This village (pop. 200) has recorded some outstanding birds in recent years included Palm Warbler (1997). The neighbouring village of Eyrarbakki had a Cerulean Warbler at the same time and I've just heard whilst I'm writing this that a Baltimore Oriole has been photographed at Eyrarbakki and an American Robin has been reported from the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago just off the south coast. There's something going on. What am I doing sitting at a desk??

See here for photos
http://www.hi.is/~yannk/empmin.html

More photos expected tonight
http://www.hi.is/~yannk/photos03.html

E
 
Wow Edward......................dunno how many other people on this forum ( or anywhere else for that matter) could claim to be present at a first for the WP................................
 
Well, it was a first for me Stu. I hasten to add that I didn't find it, none of us did. It was a non-birder who phoned her neighbour who is an avid birder and provoked a monster twitch (i.e. 10 people). I think I was the only birder there who hadn't seen a first for the WP before, the others had all seen (some found) the Palm Warbler and Cerulean Warbler and one of them also found the first Canvasback in 1977.

E
 
stuprice68 said:
Wow Edward......................dunno how many other people on this forum ( or anywhere else for that matter) could claim to be present at a first for the WP................................

Errr me! Several times.

Chimney Swift, Varied Thrush, Cliff Swallow & Philadelphia Vireo, to name just 4.

Sorry if it sounds like bragging, but you did sort of ask!

Chris
 
There's at least 2 of us then Chris.
Golden-winged Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Tree Swallow, Ancient Murrelet, are the ones which spring to mind immediately!

Nice one Edward, it's looking like Iceland's got the lions share of mega Yanks again.

Mark
:t:
 
Last edited:
Although not a splitter by instinct I must confess to having a vested interest in the split of Ipswich Sparrow (the princeps race of Savannah Sparrow at present) if it comes....

As well as the above mentioned species I'm sure many people could add stuff like Semi-palmated Plover Hudsonian Godwit, Lesser Scaup, Double-crested Cormorant, Redhead, Tree Swallow and Lark Sparrow, for example, as all of these gave themselves up to crowds.

Spud
 
Blimey, this thread's turning into a good old-fashioned British game of one-upmanship. Can anyone offer 5 WP firsts? Don't be shy now :)

The Baltimore Oriole was seen again this afternoon and I couldn't resist the temptation to go and have a look for it and it was the third time in 20 hours that I found myself in Eyrarbakki, 60 km south-east of Reykjavik. However, when we got there the wind was gusting at 30 metres a second, it was hardly possible to stand up, and the bird, which had been feeding in the seaweed and sitting amongst the rocks of the seawall was understandably nowhere to be seen. The wind by the way was relatively warm and coming from the south-west....

E
 
CJW said:
Errr me! Several times.

Chimney Swift, Varied Thrush, Cliff Swallow & Philadelphia Vireo, to name just 4.

Sorry if it sounds like bragging, but you did sort of ask!

Chris


Oops. Show's how much I know!

Still Edward you have one more than me..................
 
Edward said:
Blimey, this thread's turning into a good old-fashioned British game of one-upmanship. Can anyone offer 5 WP firsts? Don't be shy now :)


E

I've seen all the ones mentioned above Edward (with the exception of the Tree Swallow), I just thought mentioning the four would be enough.
Ofcourse some of them have had subsequent records, but at the time they were first for the WP. In fact there's only two of them that are 'unlikely' to occur here again - the Murrelet and the Varied Thrush. (that's done it! you wait and see!)

Spud did you you see the Portland Ipswich Sparrow? That's gotta be one of the rarest birds out of that lot, in world terms.
 
I really hope you are tempting fate there Chris with that Varied Thrush. One of those would go down very well here at the moment. If it's made it to Europe once it can do it again.

E
 
Hi Stuprice et al,
"dunno how many other people on this forum ( or anywhere else for that matter) could claim to be present at a first for the WP................................"
"Only" seen the one WP first:Blue-winged Warbler on Cape Clear 4th Oct 2000(remained until 10th).A brilliant bird,and I got there before the crowds came(only 20 or so birders got there the first day).
Hope to see/find(!) another WP first before too long....
Harry H
P.S.Well done,Edward!You must be thrilled to have seen the Least Flycatcher?Saw the shots on the net!Cedar Waxwing now in Iceland....
 
Just returned from Eyrarbakki to see the Baltimore Oriole after telling myself repeatedly beforehand that I couldn't possibly drive there again (fifth time since Sunday, 60 km each way, do the math as the Americans say......crikey 600km, oops).

But I was getting fed up at work hearing my friends on the phone talking of cracking views of the Oriole and I caved in, borrowed a car and drove over mountains and lava fields to the south coast where the bird was sitting on the beach pecking at an orange that had been put out for it (a tip from an American wildlife photography book). I'm going to have to draw the line at the Cedar Waxwing, Harry, as it means a flight or a ferry. But wait, if I do a bit of overtime tonight, leave early tomorrow..........oh forget it.
Photos on Icelandic Birding site tonight probably.
E
 
Hi Edward,

Edward said:
where the bird was sitting on the beach pecking at an orange that had been put out for it (a tip from an American wildlife photography book)

Congrats on the ticks, and great to see that someone's helping out a tired vagrant!

Michael
 
Cedar Waxwing!! Now you're being greedy Edward. Five mega Yanks so far this autumn, let's hope we get some in Cornwall(next weekend would be nice).

Mark
 
Edward, I am sure you will decide tomorrow to try for the Cedar Waxwing. I am unfortunately too busy to even think about going for these rarities.
Talking about WP firsts. I did find the Palm Warbler when twitching the Cerulean Warbler back in 1997. So two WP-first for me, both in one hour!
 
Icelandic birders are now gathering at Kverk in Eyjafjoll S-Iceland as a probable Empidonax flycatcher was seen there this morning.... Hopefully more news of the bird will be available later today.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 21 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top