[bsg] "Interior West" Hermit Thrush at Stoner Woods/ Caddo 05/05/13

From: Terry Davis <trdavis22@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds <LABIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 5 May 2013 11:20:45 -0700 (PDT)

Hi all, I flushed an auduboni Hermit Thrush and had great views at Stoner this 
morning. Unfortunately, I was not able to obtain any photographs. I was walking 
Southeast in the West woods around 10:30 and turned East toward a small but 
well- lit opening with an enormous log with nailed-on boards which is used as a 
"trick" by the biking groups. This is a little over half of the way South 
toward the central opening in West woods and near Clyde Fant Parkway. I 
observed the bird fly from the ground to a low limb thinking it might be a Gray 
-Cheeked for a split second at first, then simultaneously realizing how pale 
gray it was but with noticeable reddish in wings and tail. The bird sat facing 
me at about eye level, slightly to the side, flicking it's wings and slowly 
raising and lowering it's tail. The breast was noticeably whitish with 
noticeable whitish between the scattered spots, less smudgy or with close 
together spots as GCTH. The pale grayish head and
 sides of the breast and flanks also stood out prominently. I watched the bird 
for a little over a minute. Then, being in full sight of the bird, tried to 
back up and retrieve my camera- at which the bird relocated toward a thicket, 
then unseen to the Northwest. I remained in the area for several minutes 
looking, then briefly playing Hermit Thrush calls, to no avail. Moments later, 
after having put the camera back up and continuing back to the Northwest, I 
observed the bird again very close by in a shadier location- but was still 
bright enough to ascertain that it was the same bird. It then flew up and out 
of the low canopy and was not re-found.

It's getting record late for Hermit Thrush in Spring, period! I'm guessing 
finding an interior west type this late no doubt seems even stranger. I've seen 
this ssp a very few other times in Fall and Winter but don't remember any 
records from spring, much less this late.

Stoner was good this morning but could have been better without the stiff N 
winds. Migrant warblers and vireos were singing throughout, though. I made 
recordings of several spp where possible, although the wind was always a 
background factor. There were decent nos of calling Scarlet Tanager. At least 
three separate individuals were giving hard "chip" calls without the "burr" or 
"brey" today. I made recordings of calls of 1 bird (also another nearby giving 
chip) which continued from single chip calls into "chip-burr", then song later 
of another. 2 separate Blue-headed Vireo, 1 recorded singing, then Two male 
Blackburnian, 1 also recorded singing + others, were interesting. I have yet to 
get the internet speed upgraded and therefore will have piles of vocalizations 
to work with once that's done. It's daunting to say the least!!......./-:

Cheers,


Terry

[bsg] "Interior West" Hermit Thrush at Stoner Woods/ Caddo 05/05/13

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