Mariton: Wheeep!

by Tim Burris, Preserve Manager.  Photos by Carole Mebus.

Most of the flycatchers have very distinctive calls.  The Great Crested Flycatcher is no different.  This bird, that winters along the Gulf Coast and breeds in much of the eastern United States, has a distinctive “Wheeep!” as its call.  The male also does an interesting chatter that is also quite easy to recognize.

Last year I noticed Great Crested Flycatchers using a Kestrel box that we had put up in the meadow.  We saw it occasionally and assumed it was nesting in the box.  This year, I was seeing it near the box, but never coming out of the box.

That was until the Tuesday Butterfly Walk.  It was pretty exciting when we saw it leave the box, as well as enter the box with some food.  Carole got some great photos that capture this bird’s crest, yellow belly, and bronze tail.