NATURE CLICKS #349 - BLACK PHOEBE

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California ----------

The Black Phoebe is the other phoebe that we don’t see in the eastern part of the US (see my post from yesterday). It is a permanent resident in the southwestern states. The area in the ecological reserve where I found this bird doesn’t have any trees and the barbed wire fence was obviously the best perch the phoebe could find to look out for insects. It wasn’t my first sighting but this was the closest I have ever been to a Black Phoebe.

The sun was almost at its highest point when the click was made. A hint of flash helped to overcome the harsh light situation, not much different than shooting a portrait at the beach…

NATURE CLICKS #348 - SAY’S PHOEBE (FIRST SIGHTING!)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California ----------

I have reported and showed pictures several times over the years of the Eastern Phoebe, the only phoebe in North America that lives in the eastern part of the continent. Back in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California last Sunday I saw for the first time in my life a Say’s Phoebe. Most of my photos were shot with the bird perched on a barbed wire fence, closer than this picture, but I really like this shot because of light, background, and gesture. Like the Eastern Phoebe the Say’s flies from a perch to catch insects, like many other flycatchers. The bird is not difficult to identify and I was very happy about my encounter, but wait, there was another one…, well, this is for my next blog post. So please stay tuned…