Ohio
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Photodocumentations: Ohio Rarities |
Observation: This Western Kingbird was discovered 1 July 2000 along Jacksonburg Rd. (just N of the intersection with Morganthaller Rd.) in Butler Co. by a young birder. Confirmation came two weeks later. These images are a series of stills from video. The video is digital 8mm tape off a 25x optical Sony TRV 340 (with 2x teleconverter) shot shortly after noon on 19 July 2002. Distance to the bird was generally less than 40 ft. The entire observation was no more than 20 minutes with about 5 minutes of video obtained during which time the bird spent a good deal of time preening. Observers on this date were Victor W. Fazio III and Brian Barchus.
Identification: That this is a tyrannid flycatcher is seen in the overall shape, posture, and bill structure of the bird. The bright yellow underparts, greenish back, and grayish head region reduce the possibilities to Western, Cassin's, Couch's, and Tropical Kingbird. The bright white border of the outermost tail feather eliminates all but the Western Kingbird. Other features seen here consistent with Western include unforked, squared off tail, light green back, and relatively small bill. Backlighting made the chest appear a darker , more solid gray than depicted for the species in most field guides. This permitted the white below the cheek to be set off as nearly as strikingly as that seen in a Cassin's (something to consider in reviewing extra-limital reports of yellow-bellied Tyrannus). The Western Kingbird is a casual vagrant to Ohio, although exceedingly few records exist for mid-summer. The deeply incised, lanceolate tip to the outermost primary identifies this bird as a male (see Pyle 1997 pg. 262) corroborating earlier observations of the bird in song.
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From: "Mike Busam" From: "Mike Busam" Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2002 12:37:33 -0700 (PDT) Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 14:16:26 -0400
From: "John Habig"
Mon, 22 Jul 2002 14:07:09 -0400 (EDT)
To:
Subject: western kingbird, Butler County
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 16:37:41 -0400
Greetings...
I'm posting this sighting information on behalf of Tommy and Di
Schroeder. Tommy and his mother, Di, saw and photographed what
looks to be a western kingbird in St. Clair Township the first
week of July. They saw the bird three times between July 1 and
July 6. They have been actively birding for just over a month
(Tommy is doing a 4H project on the birds of Ohio), and weren't
familiar with western kingbirds. They gave me a copy of the photo
and allowed me to post it on the Gilmore Ponds website:
www.gilmore.pond.org
I believe the photograph, which Tommy Schroeder took through a car
window as part of his project, is convincing, but I'll let
everyone judge for his or herself.
The bird has not been seen since July 6, and the Schroeders drive
past the site where the bird was seen every day. Here, though, are
directions to the site.
From I-75 take the Michael A. Fox Highway (route 129) to Hamilton.
Cross Route 4 (I believe it becomes Grand Avenue here) and you'll
enter downtown Hamilton. You'll go under a railroad underpass.
There's a light after the underpass, and a McDonald's on the left
side of the Road. The new Butler County government building is
across the street from the McDonald's. Turn right onto State Route
127 (also called MLK Blvd in this part of town). Take 127 through
New Miami Town, past an old drive-in theater and past ADS,
Advanced Drainage Systems, a large business. The first road on the
right after ADS is Morganthaller. Follow Morganthaller. After you
go through two curves in the road, there's a straight stretch of
road and a field between two cultivated farm fields. The kingbird
was seen perched on a wire fence on the left side of Morganthaller
in the field between the two farm fields, not too far from where
Morganthaller intersects Jacksonberg Road.
Take care,
---Mike Busam
West Chester, OH
To:
Subject: western kingbird, Butler County
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 19:28:56 -0400
Greetings...
Dave Russell allowed me to post a couple photos of the kingbird
in St. Clair Township, Butler County. He saw and photographed the
bird on Sunday, July 14. You can see the photos at www.gilmore.pond.org
Directions to the site can be found at Ned Keller's "Birding in
Cincinnati" website:
Ned Keller's "Birding in Cincinnati" website:
Take care,
---Mike Busam
West Chester, OH
From: Troy Shively
Subject: Western Kingbird YES!!! and Observations
To: ohio-birds@envirolink.org
The Western Kingbird was found at 1:00 after a half hour of
searching about a quarter mile north of morganthaller rd. on
Jacksonburg Rd. The bird was hanging out on the wires and trees
that surround the Farm house on the left side of Jacksonburg Rd.
He was present til 2:15 when I left.
Observations:
This Bird was singing his heart out while I was there and I was
wondering if anybody else thought that this bird was on territory.
I suspect he didn't find a female, but it seems as though he might
have been in this area for a while. Does anyone have any ideas?
I know we have a record of western kingbird nesting, and this is
great habitat for them, so maybe this bird isn't a wandering
vagrant, but a male on territory looking for a mate.....
Cheers!
Troy
From: Bill Whan
To: "ohio-birds@envirolink.org"
Subject: W. Kingbird in Butler Co.
Jim McCormac, Bernie Master, Paul Gardner, Granville Carey, and I
shared good looks at the western kingbird this morning. The bird
spent a lot of time atop a cottonwood on the dike-shaped earthwork
along the south side of Morganthaller Rd just ~100 yd east of the
intersection with Jacksonburg Rd, occasionally resorting to
utility poles farther east. Parking is easiest in the NE quadrant
of this corner, and the bird seems easiest to locate on its
frequent sallies after bugs. No vocalizations were heard, but this
is a sassy and charismatic bird, about the 50th Ohio record, the
third July record (how long has it been here?), and as far as I
know the first for Butler Co.
Bill Whan
Ed, The Ohio Cardinal
Columbus
To:
Subject: Western Kingbird
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 17:33:46 -0500
I went to St. Clair Township, Butler County, looking for the
Western Kingbird. I ran into Dan Sanders and Greg Miller who were
also looking for the Kingbird. We were able to locate it just
north of the intersection of Jacksonburg and Morganthaler Roads.
The bird was on the west side of Jacksonburg Road between the
intersection and the farmhouse on the left. We spotted the bird
around 4:30.
Subject: Western Kingbird, Saturday evening, 7/20
To: ohio-birds@envirolink.org
Saturday evening, 7/20/02, the Western Kingbird was present until
approximately 8:00 -8:15 pm near the farm on Jacksonburg Road just
north of the intersection of Jacksonburg and Morganthaller. The
bird was on the power line and flycatching from that perch on the
west side of Jacksonburg and south of the farm. I met Rob Harlan
and Cheryl when I arrived at approximately 7:00 pm. I left the
area at about 8:00-8:15 pm.
Jay G. Lehman
Cincinnati, Oh
lehmanjg@pg.com