Today was sunny, gorgeous, no wind, 36 degrees Fahrenheit. My husband and I spent the entire day outside shoveling the 30+ inches of snow we got from the recent blizzard off of our driveway. Many, many birds were out singing! We heard the usuals - chickadees, cardinals, blue jays, northern flicker, downy woodpecker, robins (yes, robins seem to spend the winter and spring here and then are gone for the summer) and a red shouldered hawk. But we both heard separately and then together an Eastern Phoebe! The last I remember hearing a phoebe was in October or November.
Is it possible they are still around and I haven't heard them because I haven't been spending time outdoors since then? Phoebes are flycatchers, though, which means they eat insects. Besides a few days in early December when moths and flies were active, it has been too cold for insects. My birding books state that phoebes spend summers in this area.
So why would a phoebe (or phoebes) be in the area now, after a blizzard? I checked eBird and so far there are no reports of them spotted in the state. Curious!
30 inches you say..wow. Funny how you shared that the birds came out after the storm..it happens here too.
ReplyDeleteHi Laura, the official count for our area was 32". It is melting pretty quickly with the past few days and nights above freezing. I'll soon be able to walk around outside again!
ReplyDelete