Texbirds,
That should read 6 Nov 2020 [not 2016] regarding the hybrid from Reimers
Ranch in Travis County. Which doesn't appear to have been validated by the
local eBird reviewer despite hard evidence, myself and others, and known
presence of this hybrid pairing in the area in the last year or so
(Hamilton Pool Preserve).
Cheers,
Justin Bosler
Austin, Texas
On Sun, Aug 8, 2021, 8:11 PM Justin Bosler <justin.bosler@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
TEXBIRDS,
In searching through some photos from recent years I stumbled upon a
series of photos from the Wilson County Century Club field trip on 3 May
2019 during the Spring 2019 TOS Meeting in San Antonio. Prior to 2019, I
had zero field experience with a hybrid Eastern Phoebe x Black Phoebe. One
of my first obvious encounters with this hybrid combination was from
Reimers Ranch Park (Travis Co.) in Nov 2016 (
https://ebird.org/tx/checklist/S75897208). I wasn't able to obtain any
photos from that encounter but the physical appearance matched descriptions
of *known* hybrids (rounded head, whitish soul patch/throat flecking,
obvious wing bars, and messy border of dusky/blackish breast that doesn't
extend as low on breast/upper belly as in typical BLPH) while the call
notes were intermediate and the behavior fit that of Eastern Phoebe
(sallying from high perches, and away from riparian edge).
One of the adult "Black" Phoebes from Floresville River Park is most
definitely a hybrid as can be seen in the photo here:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S55827344
I haven't yet sorted through all of the eBird submissions of these birds
and I plan to do a thorough search. However, I am curious if anyone was
able to document more than one pure Black Phoebe in the same field of view
at this park between 2018-2020.
Thanks for your input.
Justin Bosler
Austin, Texas
