About three weeks ago I was at the parking lot of the picnic area of Battle Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor on Route 395, nine miles north of Ukiah in east central Oregon, at an elevation of well over 4000 feet, if I remember correctly. The park is in an area of basically dry evergreen forest. I saw a bird sitting on a tree branch there that in size, shape, bill, and markings most closely resembles a Say's Phoebe. The problems I have in making a call are: 1. The differentiation between the brown belly and the white chest was quite distinct, unlike that shown in any of the bird books I've looked at. The boundary was a clearly defined dark arc, not the more or less gradational pattern shown in the books. I didn't notice any white in the wings. and 2. All the books refer to the habitat of the Say's Phoebe as being scrubland. None mention a forested habitat, let alone a habitat at elevation.

I've never seen a Say's Phoebe before, and my question is, is there anything else it could be?

Thanks for your help.

Steve Aronoff
Bellingham WA
oceras at msn.com