Last Phoebe of the year?

Eastern Phoebe at Turtle Pond - 10:20am - TODAY [12/18/11] seen flying over the water near the island


Reported, photographed, and posted on eBirds by Anders Peltomaa

As many of you know, every spring I'm a bit obsessed with the first arrival of the Eastern Phoebe in Central Park. It is always one of the earliest spring migrants and come mid-March I'm usually out in the park first-phoebe-hunting. Here are some dates for that auspicious event from my records of recent years: 3/18/05, 3/16/06, 3/11/07, 3/12/08 [Prospect Park], 3/22/09, 3/11/10, 3/14/11. A pretty reliable bird, don't you think?

I've never been as meticulous in recording last sightings. But the bird above may very well be the last Eastern Phoebe Central Park will enjoy in 2011.