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Buff-breasted Flycatcher
Empidonax fulvifrons
The Buff-breasted Flycatcher (Empidonax fulvifrons) is generally considered a Mexican species. Its range barely enters the U.S. in SE Arizona and extreme SW 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. The bird could not be found after 7 May. 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 next two photosadd 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 next 6 images of a Buff-breasted Flycatcher were taken in Cave Creek Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise Co., Arizona, in May, 2008. These shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.
The next 6 images of a Buff-breasted Flycatcher were taken in Cave Creek Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise Co., Arizona, in May, 2008. These shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.