The weather forecast was for a dramatic overnight fall in temperatures and a fine and sunny day. I wondered if the cold snap would bring in a few birds so I toddled off to the local patch after breakfast. My first bird was Red-flanked Bluetail. Yawn. Then I heard a bunting but could not see it for ages. Suddenly it popped up – Little Bunting. Better. Then a rattling noise. Vaguely like an old football rattle. I checked rather unnecessarily with my new app toy and it confirmed that this was Red-throated Flycatcher. Good. This was my first view. Rather distant. 
We then started to play cat and mouse as I tried to get closer and RTF tried to stop me. Eventually I managed a couple of slightly better shots. 
The dark background is decent enough and there is a catchlight in the eye but I would have liked a little more light on the bird itself. Not too much to blow out the highlights but just a soupçon more. Some of the detail is almost lost against the surroundings. Of course unlike the bird I posted earlier this one does not have a red throat. I think males and females are pretty alike in winter. So that was a good way to while away half an hour. A Daurian Redstart bobbed in front of me as I wandered back towards the car. And home I came. I hope you like this Taiga Flycatcher.
All downhill from here 
I love the way this guy is checking YOU out with a faintly disapproving look.
Most of the birds do that, Hilary!
Whew. I was glad someone else asked where the red throat was. Even without it, Andrew, I thought the pictures were, again, excellent.
Flycatchers are such dainty little birds. We have various members of the flycatcher family in the states. I really like how some of them are so tiny and resilent. I like these photos very much.
Obviously I like the first image with all the habitat – but the second is very dramatic and shows the bird, red throat or not, very well. What I need is a bird app, like those song ones, that will list to the bird for me then identify it. I don’t suppose yours actually does that. So you need to have some idea of what you are listening to. I was blown away by the app that could listen to music i a crowded restaurant and then come back with the name of the song, the performer and the lyrics.
Mind you I dumped it after a while as I wasn’t really interested in all that information.
Way to go Taiga.
Or as Esso used to say, Put a Taiga in your tank. I don’t think restaurants should have music, Rod. I really don’t want to listen to Dumperbert Engelhump whilst I’m enjoying my carpaccio. I’ll pass on that one, thanks.
Grrr, Don’t menion cats Andrew, , my neighbours got a whole host of ’em, and they seem to like my garden not theirs, so it’s pistols at dawn, (gotta get a jet stream water pistol) … so’s I can feed the birds and keep my garden clear for at least a while. I’m just glad you managed to ‘catch’ the birds above, something about them always lifts my day, x
I was also wondering why he/she didn’t have a red throat so I’m glad that Ms Roughly asked the question. I could have done with that bird app in Bali, there was a bird that used to start calling as soon as it got dark and then all through the night until dawn. I’d love to know what it was. It was quite an odd sound, difficult to describe but not a warble!
Almost certainly an Asian Koel. Or, another possibility, Large Hawk Cuckoo (The Brainfever Bird). Bastards.
Ahh, thanks Andrew. You don’t know how I can hear a recording of it do you? It has a very distinctive, haunting call. I appreciate your help as it bugged me for two years, hearing this bird but not seeing it and not knowing what it was. The Brainfever Bird sounds terrifying.
Asian Koel:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Eudynamys-scolopaceus
Brainfever Bird:
http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Hierococcyx-sparverioides
Andrew! You are wonderful, thanks so much for this. Yes, you were spot on, it is the Asian Koel. Ah, that’s that little mystery sorted out. How stupid of me not to think to ask you sooner. Gave me tingles listening to it again. Thank you 😀
For some reason I found it very funny that you needlessly checked the app to ID the Taiga Flycatcher (RTF).
I really like the second image. Nice work in a quick 30 minutes!
Boys and toys, Caroline. We just love to play.
He looks very alert. Is there a cat nearby?
Just me, Gerard.
I can’t believe this little chap makes a sound like a football rattle …
Oh yes. He’s shouting ‘come on The Bulls’, too.
Wonderful!
so why doesn’t it have a red throat?
Because it is in winter plumage. Same as me.
sort of like robins in reverse?
shouldn’t it have been the sun has got his hat on for the eye of the Taiga? two songs in one title?