Eastern Phoebe

For years and years I've had Swallows nesting over the window of my mudroom. I've been amazed (though unsure) that the same family returns each year. Always three adults raising two or three batches of young.

This year the Swallows were chased away and their nest taken over by this bird et al:

I thought this was a Kingbird but when I read further information, on the always correct internet, it seems this bird is too small and doesn't have a white tip on its tail.

Delving deeper, it seems this is an Eastern Phoebe. It and its mate are raising a batch of babies, swooping and catching pesky bugs just like the swallows.

I snapped this picture this morning so I could compare photo to photo with my online research.

Only while cropping the photo did I notice - this bird is banded on its left leg. I don't know why that would seem so cool to me, but it does.

I'm always happy to have bug eating birds and bats around the farm and especially near the house.

But I hope my friends the Swallows have found suitable digs nearby.