Brown-headed Cowbird fledgling begging for food from Eastern Phoebe.
I’m embarrassed to confess I goofed here up a week or two ago when I posted a photo of an “Eastern Phoebe” fledgling. Only today—when I saw what must’ve been the same bird being fed nearby by a frantic adult phoebe—did I realize my mistake. It was a cowbird.
Brown-headed Cowbirds are of course brood parasites: rather than build nests of their own, the females lay eggs in the nests of other birds, often dumping out their egg sin the process. I remember years ago spying a tiny wood-warbler flitting frantically around for food to stuff in the maw of a much larger cowbird fledgling.
I missed the ID when I spotted a chick flutter out of a phoebe’s nest for the first time. I recall thinking it rather odd-looking, but I guess I was too wrapped up in the moment, fixated on getting photos, to notice obvious field marks.
Well, today it was quite obvious. I felt kinda sorry for the phoebe.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 9 a.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Ovenbird (v)
2. Red-eyed Vireo (v)
3. American Redstart** (v)
4. Common Yellowthroat (v)
5. Black-and-white Warbler
6. American Robin*
7. Eastern Phoebe
8. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
9. American Goldfinch
10. Yellow Warbler (v)
11. Chipping Sparrow* (v)
12. Eastern Towhee
13. Song Sparrow
14. Gray Catbird*
15. Blue Jay (v)
16. Savannah Sparrow
17. Tree Swallow
18. Chestnut-sided Warbler (v)
19. American Crow
20. Broad-winged Hawk
21. Purple Finch (v)
22. Hermit Thrush (v)
23. Veery (v)
24. Brown-headed Cowbird
Elsewhere
25. Herring Gull
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, broad-winged hawk, brown-headed cowbird, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, ovenbird, purple finch, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tree swallow, veery, yellow warbler
