Tagged With: Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Cathy and I went to Seneca Creek where Berryville Road passes right next to it. We saw a belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) on a tree leaning out over the water and I was able to get a few photos, although it was pretty far away. We walked upstream and enjoyed the bluebells (Mertensia virginica) that wrre pretty much in full bloom. Some of the flowers were brown, probably as a result of the recent freeze we had a week or so ago.

We heard quite a few birds, including wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and northern waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis). We didn’t see either of those. A blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) kept showing up on Cathy’s Merlin screen but I didn’t expect to be able to see this little, elusive bird. We did, though, and I was able to get a photo or two.

Today’s photo is of an eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) who sat on a branch over the creek and let me get fairly close.

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

We returned from the wedding yesterday and early this morning Brian and I took Allie to BWI Airport for her flight back out west. Later in the day, Brian, Lisa, Cathy, and I went to Great Falls. We walked to the Olmsted Island overlook and saw two great blue herons (Ardea herodias) down below the falls. From there we walked to the area of the C&O Canal known as Wide Water. It was a lovely day, a bit warmer than the day of the wedding, but still not so hot that it was oppressive.

As is fairly common when the four of us are together, Cathy and Lisa walked ahead of Brian and me, partly because I stop occasionally to take pictures. Aside from the herons (and we saw a few more on the canal), we didn’t see many birds. Just as we were getting back to near Great Falls Tavern I got three shots of this eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), which is fairly common but still nice to see. Phoebe’s have a special place in my heart, because there have been phoebes nesting on boards that my dad put up under the eaves of our cabin pretty much every year since it was built. I also have an ancestor who was named Phebe, although I know that it was spelled differently.