Saturday, December 10, 2011

SAN BENITO COUNTY BIRDING: EASTERN PHOEBE RETURNS DECEMBER 10, 2011

Howdy, Birders,
The EASTERN PHOEBE which was present most of this past winter, has returned to the same location at Santa Ana Valley Road, San Benito County. Birding Santa Ana Valley so often for raptors over the past weeks, I've made it a habit to swing by the spot where I last saw the Eastern Phoebe on March 23, 2011.
At 1015 hrs today, there it was, flycatching from the lower limbs of this deciduous tree!
While I was there the Eastern Phoebe was hawking insects in the ditch and disked fields near mailbox numbers 3080 and 3065 on the side of the road opposite the houses. Both Black and Say's Phoebes were also in the neighborhood. Please pull completely off the road and respect private property. There is plenty of space along the roadside for parking.
On my way home, I first spotted this male PHAINOPEPLA on Sunset Street, only a few blocks from my house in Hollister. This was at 1050 hrs. It was mainly working a substantial group of trees loaded with mistletoe on Junniper and Iris Streets and Oak and Iris Streets, all in Hollister, relatively near Hazel Hawkins Hospital.
All images copyright, Debi Shearwater.
Happy Trails,
Debi Shearwater
San Benito County Birding

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