[wisb] Rare Thrush - Green Lake County
- From: "Tom Schultz" <trschultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "WISBIRDN" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:17:30 -0600
I have to admit it -- my heart was racing a bit when I got a look at this
bird...
We were leaving home around 11:30 AM today to head over to my mother's house
for Christmas when this bird flew up from the ground along my driveway.
Initially it was flying straight ahead of my vehicle (at about a 20 to 30
foot distance), but then it turned left and into some trees, and it appeared
to land. I didn't have much of a look as it was flying ahead of me, but
when it banked and went by me at a more perpendicular angle, I was able to
see that the bird had some VERY unusual and striking markings -- including
what appeared to be a contrasting white eyebrown. I thought, "What the heck
was that!!???", as my mind started racing through the possibilities -- but
nothing seemed to fit.
I was starting to think that this could be something really rare -- like
maybe an Eye-browed Thrush or some other Siberian thrush that had strayed
over from Asia!
I hit the brakes and skidded a bit on the ice before coming to a stop,
grabbed my camera, and got out of the car, and I believed that I was now
about 50 feet past the bird. Although I felt pretty certain I knew about
where it had landed, I couldn't see the bird, and I was really hoping it was
stick around for a second look -- and hopefully some photos.
I walked slowly (but as quickly as possible) back in that direction, and
soon spotted the bird on a branch as I got past a large tree. I snapped a
few shots initially, then others periodically as I slowly tried to stalk
closer. I had gotten out of the car so quickly that I didn't have my
binoculars, so I was hoping that some of my shots would be good enough to
help with a possible ID. The lighting was not great, as there was a light
rain falling, but here are a few shots of this very cool bird -- not
perfect, but also not too bad:
http://www.pbase.com/trschultz/christmas_thrush_25_dec_09
What do you think? As I said, this bird had quite a striking appearance!
(Sorry I wasn't able to post this sooner, but we just returned home this
evening.)
Tom Schultz
Green Lake Co.
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