The doldrums of birding in Riverside run from July through mid‑September. While the first fall migrants begin appearing along the coast, at the wetlands of the San Jacinto Wildlife Refuge, or on the shores of Lake Elsinore, things tend to be sleepy within city limits during those hot months. Local birds are molting, tucked away in the shade during the heat of the day. Inland terrestrial migrants don’t show up until the fall—and even then, they arrive slowly. It’s not until late September that we begin to see the first of our winter birds.
The species that persist and show themselves in the three-digit heat are largely brown and gray: Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, House Sparrow, California Towhee, Eurasian Collared Dove. Even the more obvious birds—crows and ravens—come cloaked in somber black. They match the mood of the season. But one bird shatters the stillness and stands out.
The Black Phoebe (*Sayornis nigricans—“Say’s blackish bird”) is handsome, dapper, and anything but subdued. Although it lives here year-round, it becomes especially noticeable in summer when its quieter peers retreat from view. With striking black and white plumage—black head, breast, and upperparts contrasted by a clean white belly and undertail—it looks perpetually dressed for a formal event. A sharply defined inverted V across the breast forms the look of a tuxedo vest, and its black legs and feet complete the ensemble. There’s nothing subtle about this bird…