Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Overwintering II

An Eastern Phoebe has been hanging around Crescent Water.
The pond’s been frozen…
But clearly something is keeping this bird alive.

Year-round range for this species nudges up through Delaware, which is why these birds are often the first migrants we see in spring here in New York. They don’t have far to go. The last several winters here have seen the occasional stray hang around.

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