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May 27, 2021
Ben here with today's edition of #BenInNature presented by our friends at Carter Bank & Trust!
The eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is a fun bird to watch! This phoebe tends to perch in the persimmon sapling I planted behind my house last year. It surveys the yard, and if it sees a bug flying by, it takes off and tries to snatch it out of the air (and usually succeeds).
These birds prefer open areas such as yards and parks, and they often build their nests under the eaves of buildings to protect them from the elements. The nests are fairly distinctive; they have a mud base and are lined with moss and grass.
At various times of year, the eastern phoebe can be found throughout most of the eastern half of the U.S. and large portions of Canada and Mexico. They generally migrate north to breed and migrate south to overwinter, but Virginia falls in a sweet spot where these birds can be found year-round. If you'd like to spot an eastern phoebe, keep an eye peeled around low trees and fences; you might just see one scanning for insects.
ABOUT #BenInNature
Social distancing can be difficult, but it presents a great opportunity to become reacquainted with nature. In this series of posts, Administrator of Science Ben Williams ventures outdoors to record a snapshot of the unique sights that can be found in the natural world. New updates are posted Monday - Friday, with previous posts highlighted on the weekends. This series of posts is made possible thanks to the support of VMNH Corporate Partner Carter Bank & Trust (www.cbtcares.com).
NATURE PHOTO IDENTIFICATIONS
If you discover something in nature that you would like help identifying, be sure to message us right here on Facebook with a picture (please include location and date of picture) and we'll have our experts help you identify it!
