Posted by David Fix (216.100.38.87) on December 05, 2002 at 20:25:50:
Without having seen the one set of comments yet posted, I would eliminate all but Least, separating from Hammond's by lack of grayish head/olive back and, possibly, by lack of any hint of hind-crown peak; and from Dusky because it's early October and one might think Dusky, an earlier nester and later molter, to show signs of wear in the plumage (even juves), and by the good contrast between the blackish greaters framed by the wingbars. It lacks any yellowish on the chin or throat, and has a small bill, points which together eliminate several empid spp. I know I should be dealing with P extension and niceties of P spacing, but I'm no expert and I'm not looking at books right now. The bird has a minimal but apparent posterior elongation to the eye-ring that I have seen in both Hammond's (which I believe this bird is not) and Least. I love empids but prefer to deal with the Real Thing, so am fully ready to be wrong here.