I've probably photographed a number of flycatchers, but there are many species, and I don't feel overly qualified to identify a lot of them (the
Black Phoebe and the
Ash-throated Flycatcher being the only exceptions for me). I was walking the nature trail at Silver Lake a few weeks ago when I saw this small flycatcher in the bushes. It stayed in place just long enough for a few pictures, and as best as I can tell, it is a Willow Flycatcher (
Empidonax traillii).
Silver Lake is a natural lake produced by mudflows from Mt. St. Helens. The nature trail follows an old railroad line that crossed a portion of the lake. It's overgrown with shrubs and trees, providing a nice habitat for birds. I've posted a
few other pictures of birds from the location.
