Last evening at dusk, I was watching the western colors in the sky from the
front porch. There was a bird fluttering form one leafy cluster to another
dense cluster above, then back to the lower cluster. It is a dogwood with
berries. The bird acted like a lone Catharus getting berries but it was in dim
light and the movement was too quick to see detail.
This morning there were two juncos at the feeder table below and out from the
laurel and that dogwood where the thrush was feeding. Suddenly the thrush
landed on the edge of the feeder as the juncos fled. I could see that it was a
thrush and I had to take time to retrieve the binos. What I saw was a
grayish-brown Catharus with a sort of an eyering and when it turned to fly, the
tail was the same gray-brown color as the upperparts in general. There was no
contrast with the back. It was such a fleeting period that I never got to
study its breast. Swainson’s is ruled out, by plumage color and behavior.
When I have Swainson’s they are not so skittish, but boldly take to the open
ground in the back of the house. This bird fed like a Hermit Thrush getting
berries, but did not have the expected mannerisms at the feeder. And whenever
I have a Hermit, they also feed on the open ground in the back garden, nevrer
at the feeder. Hermits act like they want to be watched. This bird was
extemely skittish.
I am convinced that the bird is a Gray-cheeked Thrush, and I have been watchful
for it.
Larry*******
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