Corky and I drove out of the neighborhood this afternoon to have a walk in a place that doesn't require so much sniffing and I am not likely to run into anyone who wants to visit. On the way home I turned into Starbuck's (which was closed) to see what birds might be out on Anaheim Lakes, which is beyond the back of the parking lot. There were Canadian geese and coots and some mallards all gathered in the lee of a little hillock - trying to stay out of the cold wind, I expect. A single egret poked about on the edge of the water.
And there was this lone Black Phoebe flying up from his post to catch insects on the wing. Usually phoebes are alone, but sometimes I see three or four sitting on posts, sprinklers or lights at a "hunting distance" from each other.
Like many flycatchers they have a pointed head and little hairs that grown at the base of their beak, which surely has something to do with their ability to catch the airborne insects.
They are handsome little things, about six inches long, with their "cutaway" black coats over a white vest and stomach. They are frequently seen by water where flying insects are abundant. Their habit of pumping their tail sets them apart from other flycatchers.
3 comments:
Oh, that's probably the bird I saw perching on my fence yesterday. I thought perhaps my bird was a Dark-eyed Junco, but it didn't have a pink bill.
Love your pictures!These little guys like our backyard. There are lots of places for them to perch and hunt from. Happy sunshiny day!
I once rescued a phoebe from my sister's deck in Olympia, WA. She had skylights on the deck, and this poor little phoebe kept on trying to reach the sky through the glass of the deck. I reached up and gently caught her, putting her on her back so she'd not struggle and hurt herself.
I admit to leaving her there just a moment longer to stroke that soft breast and then let her fly.
I didn't like that she had been caught there, but I was grateful for the opportunity to see her up close.
Post a Comment