It started off like any other morning: stumbled out of bed, brushed my teeth while half awake, and let the shower water attempt to shake off the sleep. I slowly worked through my morning routine, not wanting to face another day of the lingering summer heat. I smelled the coffee aroma spreading throughout the house, which meant that my husband was already up. I joined him in the kitchen to get breakfast ready when he told me, “There’s some interesting activity this morning.”

I thought he was referring to our ant bait experiment. Recently, tiny little ants have invaded the house, intent on finding any microscopic dead bugs on which to feast. After failed attempts at blocking their entrances (of which it seemed like there was an endless number), my husband took command of trying different homemade baits and has been monitoring the successes and failures throughout the week.

He did not have a report of ants but of birds. He said he saw two empids in the backyard. That’s code for two unidentified flycatchers. Suddenly I was wide awake and ran to the window just in time to catch sight of one of them. Instinct took over, and I raced around the house looking for my camera and phone, threw on my sandals and quietly sneaked out the side entrance so as not to scare it.

There it was, perched in the trees. The lack of a prominent eyering immediately gave me a rush – this was likely a Willow Flycatcher in our humble little backyard!

The flycatcher was very cooperative as I took a number of photos. Totally captivated by the moment, I neglected to notice that my legs were starting to itch, and I was suddenly aware of all the mosquitoes surrounding me. No wonder the flycatchers were hanging out here! I had to rush back in and change into clothing that offered more coverage. I did end up with some bites, but it was a small price to pay for feeding the flycatchers.

I eventually spotted the two flycatchers that my husband saw. They did not take well to each other’s presence and there was frequent chasing, making it hard to get an ID on the second one. My husband thought it was the more common Western Flycatcher based on his earlier observation, but he wasn’t sure. I felt the pressure to get a picture just in case it was a rarity.

The minutes ticked by and we could not get a photo of the second flycatcher. They both eventually flew away and my heart sank knowing that it was time to call it and get ready for work.

Throughout the morning, I peeked out the window during stretch breaks hoping the second flycatcher would reappear. It did once, but was scared off by nearby gardeners with loud gas blowers. After that, the Willow Flycatcher continued to pop by, which was delightful to be sure, but there’s always that lingering, crushing feeling of the one that got away without a proper ID. Both flycatchers were gone by noon when the heat became unbearable and neither reappeared in the backyard.

When I take a step back and think about the morning, it was very special. The yard was providing two flycatchers with fuel for their migration journey, and in return the flycatchers gave us a special show. I have found it very difficult to get a decent Willow Flycatcher picture, and now I landed one with a great pose that will remind me of this fun morning.

I hope they both find their way safely to their wintering grounds.