|
The Buff-breasted Flycatcher (Empidonax fulvifrons) is generally considered a Mexican species. Its range barely enters the U.S. in s.e. Arizona and extreme s.w. New Mexico where it is a rare and local breeder in several locations. Before 1999 the species had not been documented in Texas, but there were at least least two unverified reports from Big Bend N.P. in the 1960s and 1970s. On 3 May 1999, Eric Horvath and John Karges discovered a singing Buff-breasted Flycatcher on the Davis Mountains Preserve (Texas Nature Conservancy), Jeff Davis Co., Texas. On 5 May, Kelly Bryan was able to tape record the singing bird and take a number of photos, two of which are below and right. The bird could not be found after 7 May. These photos by Kelly represent the first Texas record for the species. See below for further information on this bird including nesting!
|
On 14 June 1999, Kelly Bryan, John Karges, Ro Wauer & Greg Lasley were participating in a survey of nesting birds on this same property when they discovered a singing Buff-breasted Flycatcher about 7/10 mile from where the initial discovery had been made in May. Further observations confirmed a pair of the birds and a nest under construction. The below photos by Greg Lasley add further documentation to the record and confirm the first nesting for the species in Texas. The photos were taken 17 June 1999 with a Canon EF600 F4 lens and a 2X extender with a Canon EOS 1N and using Fuji 100/1000 MS film at 1000 ASA due to low light conditions. Though grainy, the photos confirm the record. The photo at the below left shows the bird perched near the nest; the photo at the below right shows the bird in the nest.
Buff-breasted Flycatchers can be found in the mountains near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. This area is within about 100-120 miles from Texas, so perhaps this record is not as surprising as it might seem at first glance. |
