My first life bird for 2025, the Say's Phoebe. 1/5/2025.

We have had some strong westerly winds in Massachusetts which may explain why a Say's Phoebe was at Allen's Pond in Westport, MA on January 5th. This beautiful Phoebe is normally found far our west and feeds on insects in the dry canyons and deserts of the area, but I photographed it feeding on small flies in the wrack line on our eastern beach. It was a little larger than our Eastern Phoebe, but had a beautiful cinnamon wash to its belly which its Eastern cousin lacks. Looking at ebird, there have been only a handful of reported Say's Phoebes in MA over the past ten years including one that was reported at the Quabbin Reservoir Headquarters and that stayed from 12/2023 till 4/2024. What a spectacular treat it was to see this one as I never traveled to Quabbin. I hope it is still surviving our New England cold!