I agree. It seems too early for a Swainson's to me, too, and I considered not posting it. It wouldn't be the first time I've mis-ID'd something on this forum (I recall my Kingbird mis-ID last year,for example, and while I didn't call Fieldfare last year because of the statistical improbability, I did wonder if I'd seen one and asked for help). Realizing all this, though, I did get a good, long look and what made me call Swainson's was buffy spectacles vs white eye ring and gray tail vs red pumping tail (so it didn't seem like a the more probable Hermit (wish I had thought to compare the olive vs brown flanks)). And it wasn't big enough, brown enough, or bold-spotted enough to be a Wood. And it was too bold spotted and too gray to be a Veery. Not defending my call here. Just looking to understand what else it might be or what I got wrong. Some very helpful birder on this site last year sent me pictures of a Phoebe with a bold black-and-white variation that made it look a lot like a Kingbird, which helped me see my error on that one. Another time, people sent pictures of juvenile Robin variations to help me rule out Fieldfare. That was teaching I appreciated. Any thoughts here?
