Day 9--Black Phoebe family-action later that day
I returned in the late afternoon on Day 9 and found the family had returned to their shady shelter in the trees overhanging the water. I could see an adult catching insects and bringing them into the foliage, which always caused a small uproar of "baby bird chirping" (sounds like many other baby birds when parents bring them food). Frustrated that I still could not see the fledglings inside the cover of the limbs and leaves, I carefully came up from the other side where I continued being frustrated as they just weren't visible from any location (at least any location where I would not disturb them).
As I sat watching for a glimpse of a bird sallying out after an insect, 2 Common Grackles flew into the area where the Black Phoebes were located. The grackles were making loud grackles calls and there was a hub-bub, then the I saw 3 Black Phoebes fly out and away from the disruption. The grackles kept up with their squawking and after a few minutes I found (when it flew out, followed again by the grackles) that they had followed/chased a Cooper's Hawk into the tree. It was getting late and I didn't want to stress the Black Phoebes by trying to refind them so left for the day.
SeEtta
Labels: Black Phoebe Family