Eastern Wood-Pewee

An Eastern wood-pewee is a flycatcher, and looks quite similar to an Eastern phoebe, which is also a flycatcher. But if it speaks you easily know which is which - because the pewee says "pee-a-wee!" quite clearly whereas the phoebe says "phoebe!!" - also quite clearly. There are other flycatchers about - some around here, some not - many of them with the word "flycatcher" in their names. I've seen a least flycatcher (in West Virginia). And a willow flycatcher (in Massachusetts, not here). Some flycatchers can ONLY be told apart if you hear them speak. The phoebe and the pewee, on the other hand, if they were to be sitting side by side on a branch, would look somewhat different. I'd be able to tell a phoebe from a pewee. When out walking, however, it helps a good deal to have the bird announce itself by name. Which this pewee did! There will be phoebes here all year - but don't announce themselves much after the nesting season is passed. The pewees will be heading south in the fall - somewhat later than some birds leave - some migrants have already left, some are leaving very soon, some hang around well into September. But one day we'll be walking and it will occur to me that I haven't heard a pewee for a while, and I'll know it'll be probably May before I hear one again. Right now I haven't heard a wood thrush in a while, so maybe they've gone. But I know the pewees are still here, for now.

Still - winter is coming.