Big excitement in the limited birding world of this backyard spectator. A single wood thrush. First sighting ever. December 9, 2010, 8:30am. Temperature below freezing, in the 20s. Seems late for migrating. Staying here for the winter? Cinnamon brown head, plainer brown back, distinctively spotted breast, round fat body, long straight beak, pretty pink feet. Foraging for sunflower seeds on the deck floor beneath the feeder. Stayed a long time, hopping around, showing herself at all angles, flipping oak leaves around, unaware of my presence, just four feet away on the other side of the glass. She held me captive for the duration of her visit. An excellent and birdly bird.
8:30-9:00 seems to be the current peak time for coming to the feeder. Other birds at feeder this morning between 8:30 & 9:00: male and female cardinals, house finches, carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, brown-headed nuthatches, whitebreasted nuthatches, my bluebirds (calloo callay), downy woodpeckers, a single female towhee. dkm
10 comments:
Congratulations!!! The woodthrush is my very favorite bird, I think. It is so subtlety beautiful and their call is so haunting and otherworldly. I am surprised that you are seeing it now, though. Perhaps it couldn't migrate for some reason. Poor thing. I hope it either finds it's way to Mexico or manages to survive the winter.
Congratulations!!! The woodthrush is my very favorite bird, I think. It is so subtlety beautiful and their call is so haunting and otherworldly. I am surprised that you are seeing it now, though. Perhaps it couldn't migrate for some reason. Poor thing. I hope it either finds it's way to Mexico or manages to survive the winter.
I've only heard its song in recordings. Will start listening outside, now that I know it's here. Here's hoping it just got a late start and can still make it. I'll let you know if I see it again.
I wonder if your wood thrush is like our 'thrush'? (an import from England). Thrushes here have a very distinctive and lovely call. They are among the aristocrats of the garden birds.
Once again the names intrigue me especially carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, towhee. Someone was keen on alliteration!
Do you have photos of your visitors Deb??
I'm just catching up with your blog- and it brings wonders and renewed grace to my day. Thank you for meditating, watching, seeing, hearing, reading, writing, and sharing with us. Pearl
Jane, by your comment about the call, I'm guessing it's the same bird. Much has been written about the call of the wood thrush. I don't know if this link will come through in comment box, but if it does, this guy looks exactly like the one that came to my deck. I can't ever seem to get the camera up at such close range without scaring them off! But will make that a project goal--to get photos of my friends at the feeder. You could google images for American Wood Thrush. That's how I got this link.
didhttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KSAB9xqp6_E/RlrNXMxbjBI/AAAAAAAAAQw/Z4mLMpacG0c/s1600/woodthrush.jpg
And Pearl, thank YOU for inspiring my every day.
Mary N or Lisa Z, do you know how the NZ thrush compares to our wood thrush?
I've looked at several wood thrush sites. I think they are very similar - certainly the light speckled breast. I suppose, over time, there might be small regional adaptations. I must look up your other birds whose names are unfamiliar to me...
It sounds like a delightful bird. And based on your description, I almost got an anthropomorphic sense of it. Lovely to hear about it. Great post!
LOL, Samuel! I just re-read the description, this time with human characteristics in mind---offers an entirely different image:-) I promise, my original intent was innocently and entirely about the bird---but now that you changed the slant, I'll not add the photo---and let readers make of it what they will. :-)
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