On the other hand, what the heck do I know. Just got these two very helpful
comments offline. Perhaps more to come? Perhaps I just need to be a
Better Birder?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roy Gerig
5:41 PM (28 minutes ago)
to me
Each of us older birders sees things according to the way we bird and how
and where we look.. I see Swainson's Thrushes all the time in the summer
months, and have found several nests, I see SWTH in summer way more than
HETH in winter months even though both seem equally common here in their
season. Above 3500' in the Cascades or 2700' in the Coast Range in summer
both are sort of equally common. SWTH seems more approachable of the two
to me
Darrel Faxon
6:07 PM (4 minutes ago)
to me
Bob,
I'm surprised. Maybe it is a preferred range thing, but here on Thornton
Creek I see multiple Swainson's Thrushes every day from mid-May through
July. Once they start to migrate in August, I see them less frequently, but
I think that is because they are nocturnal migrants,and spend a lot of time
sleeping during the day.
Darrel
On Fri, Dec 17, 2021 at 5:08 PM Robert O'Brien <baro@xxxxxxx> wrote:
I've also followed this interesting discussion closely. ID by plumage is
possible, but uncertain.
But....these thrushes have very different behavior. Swainson's Thrushes
here have nested around my place in Carver for the 48 years we've lived
here.
I hear them all the time. I 'never' see them.
Hermit Thrushes (smallish, red-tailed variety) winter here and I see them
all the time. The interesting sighting around a feeder that prompted some
of these posts are a fairly common event for me.They are not going for any
of the 'bird food' I put out, but are looking for insects, perhaps
attracted by all the 'other' birds; or by berries. Burning Bush
(Euonymous alatus) is particularly favored in fall. I would NEVER see a
Swainson's Thrush hopping around anywhere.. They are too shy and retiring.
Now, if you're lucky you might perhaps encounter Swainson's Thrushes
during migration. Perhaps out of their element. They can also be
attracted to berries. I've seen them while heading south attracted to a
variety of berries. But in so doing they are _very_ nervous, don't stay
long, and fly to the nearest cover with any disturbance. Hermit thrushes
are quite happy to be observed.while they eat.
Now, if you see a winter thrush that seems happy to be observed, it's
_very_ unlikely to be a Swainson's, And since it's very unlikely that it's
a Swainson's Thrush at all, that means it would be doubly difficult to
determine if it was not a Hermit. BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT IF YOU ARE SO
INCLINED.
I've only had one exception to this rule in 48 years here. We live on the
edge of a Doug. Fir forest. One spring/summer, a Swainson's Thrush seemed
to nest nearby. Our family room windows look out into the woods. And we
often saw this Swainson's Thrush hopping around on the edge of the patio
through the windows. What a treat. But we never saw it when we were out
and about.
One caveat. I've no experience with the non-red tailed Hermit Thrushes.
Perhaps they are furtive same as Swainsons's?
Bob OBrien Carver OR
