In this photo note the shape of the bird and the pale eye-ring can just about be seen. The bird was a soft grey brown on the upper-parts and clean off white under parts with some very fine and delicate markings on the flanks and upper breast. White under-tail coverts were also noted.

The bird flicked and cocked it’s tail in typical flycatcher fashion. In the superb early morning autumn sunshine, the bird gave stunning views as it flitted around after insects and perched on exposed branches for long periods of time. This habit allowed all the birders on site to get excellent views of this attractive little flycatcher.

In this shot the broad base to the bill can be seen and the small buff throat patch. The bird had a large black isolated eye, surround by an obvious pale white eye-ring and pale lores and a prominent pale submoustachial stripe contrasting with a dark malar stripe

The bird appeared tiny as it perched high up in the exposed branches of Sycamore trees. It’s jizz was at times more like a ficedula flycatcher than a musicapidae flycatcher.

The tertials were fringed pale
and there was a very fine
greater covert wing bar all
indicating and pointing to
the Brown Flycatcher being
a 1st winter bird.

Many thanks to Steve Arlow for allowing me the use of two of his superb images of the Brown Flycatcher. The other image is posted on my 2007 Bird Diary.

A stunning photo which captures all the ID features of this Siberian Gem of a bird.

Updated 7th October 2007.
The bird was not present on the 5th October 2007.