Flycatcher (South Africa) (1 Viewer)

[pietrod]

Pictures from the 5th of Jan. 2019 in North-East South Africa (Mkhuze).

It was pointed to me by another birder as a Blue-mantled crested flycatcher.
But looking at the pictures (and now that I got some experience with the south african birds of that area) it is for sure one between Ashy and Gray Tit-Flycatcher. Unfortunately the tail is not visible and I am not able to find another good character to tell them apart. Maybe someone familiar with the species can see something more??

Thanks for any reply

 

[Andy Adcock]

The grey rather than black loral area should make this the Tit Flycatcher.

 

[pietrod]

Thank you Andy,

I think that the loral area is very difficult to judge!
Check for example these pics
http://www.buckhambirding.co.za/wp/?page_id=3303

Some of the individual have grey loral area but certainly are Ashy!

Can you spot any other useful features?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Thank you Andy,

I think that the loral area is very difficult to judge!
Check for example these pics
http://www.buckhambirding.co.za/wp/?page_id=3303

Some of the individual have grey loral area but certainly are Ashy!

Can you spot any other useful features?

Not really!

Seems like the lores is an unreliable feature and you need to see foraging behaviour, the way the bird holds it's tail or tail pattern.

The bird sitting on the fence, seems to have an upright posture and is not fanning it's tail which both point to Ashy?

 

[pietrod]

Thank you again Andy!

I do not remember it fanning its tail but I admit that I rushed away (I do not like being near nests, even though this one was along a board walk).
As a general impression it somehow give me more the Ashy impression but maybe someone used to see them could confirm...
It must be something like willow w and chiffchaff, at the beginning they look the same but once u get the hang of them a glance is often enough to tell them apart.