Sean,
This birds strikes me as guttatus based on the brown tone of back and wings. In
my experience auduboni are more clay-colored gray-brown above. I think they
tend to have less grayish wash on the flanks and larger and blacker breast
spots that are more widely spaced.
Dave Irons
Beaverton, OR
Sent from my iPhone
On Mar 3, 2023, at 9:55 PM, Sean Cozart <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hey obolers,
Earlier today, I took a fishing trip to the southeast corner of the state,
which just happens to be incredibly underbirded. Just below Owyhee Dam, while I
was being captivated by the singing Song Sparrows, a Hermit Thrush(!!!) popped
up on top of the willows and started chirping at us. It's apparently the first
March record of this species in Malheur County and the first sighting outside
of May through September.
But here's the question: does anyone have any thoughts pertaining to
subspecies? I'm kind of on edge between calling this thrush a guttatus type
Hermit from the Oregon Coast, or our breeder auduboni. I know through personal
experience with Hermits in La Grande, auduboni I'm used to are much grayer
above then this bird.
Many thanks,
Sean Cozart
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