Greetings: Ned is on the proper track for subspecies ID, but rather than
having emarginated feathers, the outer primaries are deeply notched in
Fork-tails, especially in adult males. Terry Jenkins, Aaron Decker, Sheila
Scoville and I viewed the bird yesterday with binoculars. A scope or camera
will be necessary to see any notch (should this individual be older than it
appeared to me).
My overall impression was that the flight feathers of the flycatcher were
extremely worn and brown (with a few exceptions, suggesting a partial suspended
molt?) making this individual either a likely hatch-year bird (of the austral
summer) or a second-year bird from Central America. [To my eye the crown was
also brown in yesterday's light suggesting a sub-adult individual.] The above
per the Pyle Guide. Little is known about the molt pattern of this tyrant
flycatcher (or remarkably others common to NAmerica, including the Eastern
Kingbird). Apparently the notch on the outer primaries, especially p10, of the
Forked-tail does not become pronounced until the second pre-basic molt.
A picture of a notched feather of a Kingbird may be seen at:
http://cvwofirstlandingspk.blogspot.com/2009/05/can-you-id-this-bird.html
Best, Peter
Peter Doherty
leasttern@xxxxxxxxxxx
214-B 84th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
757-470-0774 (cell)
757-321-0255 (local)
