On Saturday Bjørnar Skjold reported a Collared Flycatcher on Skjold. Cauteous as ever, he wasn't sure at first, but when the bird was seen by other birdwatchers, people were satisfied with the ID as Collared.
But I understand Bjørnar's hesitation, because it is a strange bird. It looks like a pale male or a strongly patterned female. The bird shows itself well, but always at a distance, so it is difficult to judge all the characters. The wings and tail fit a female better than a male (pattern on the greater coverts and white on the outer tail), but the head fits a male, albeit a bleached one, with the almost complete collar and the white spots on the forehead... It seems to show an age difference in the greater coverts, which would make the bird a second calendar year. I think people agree on the ID, but age and sex have to be determined. Discussion continues, and pictures have been sent abroad...




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