Date: 1/22/26 2:42 pm From: Denis DeSilvis via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Say's Phoebe in Roy WA
Tweeters,
I was stunned to see a SAY'S PHOEBE this morning on our back deck and yard. Below is the information I put on eBirdPNW. I have no idea if the eBird powers-that-be will accept this input, but I'm quite positive of the ID.
Here's the eBird info:
Avian Acres - Home, Pierce, Washington, US Jan 22, 2026 9:15 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Checklist Comments: Location: Lat 46.58.33N Long 122.29.37W. At 0915, a bird flew onto the deck at the edge of the French doors next to where I was eating breakfast. (Temperature was 29degF at the time with no wind.) My first thought was that it was a Dark-eyed Junco (of which we have at least 100 on the property). I got up from my chair to look down on the deck and immediately identified the bird as a SAY'S PHOEBE from the gray back and salmon-colored wash behind the gray breast. I am familiar with this species from seeing it often in the spring/summer in eastern Washington at a property in Cle Elum. The phoebe then flew to a boulder in the yard and "squatted" down on the top of it. My wife attempted to use my phone's camera, but as she focused, the bird flew off to the south. It was then that I saw it had a completely black tail, with no outer white tail feathers as would be seen with the local juncos. The bird was visible for about a minute.
Note: I have 50 feeding stations set up on the property. Many feeders are suet or seed cylinders (from Wild Birds Unlimited) in addition to seed and peanut feeders. The other birds in the area (Dark-eyed Juncos; Song, White-throated, White-crowned, and Golden-crowned sparrows; Spotted Towhees; Northern Flickers; Hairy Woodpecker; House Finches; and Steller's and California Scrub-jays) were actively feeding at most of the feeders visible from the house.
1 species
Say's Phoebe 1 First impression of bird was it was a Say's Phoebe. The pale salmon-colored belly and flanks caught my eye immediately. The back was gray, darker than the breast area, which was also gray. Compared with the Dark-eyed Juncos that were in the area, it appeared "chunkier" and bigger - longer. I did not see any white on the bird. When it was on the boulder in the back yard, it "squatted" down and appeared fluffed out, possibly because of the cold. In this position, the legs were not visible. When it flew off, the all-black tail was easily seen - with no white outer tailfeathers such as found on juncos. There were no markings on the chest area, just the pale gray. The pale salmon-coloration extended beyond the belly toward the undertail coverts. I noted that when the bird was on the boulder in a side view.
