Which Thrush?

[BIGFRANK]

Have a pretty good idea of the ID however I wanted confirmation. I've kept my opinion out so as not to influence any of those answering.

[Pat Hodgson]

this one is tricky and I am not sure, but I'll go with veery

I would expect bolder spotting on anything else - although the spotting on this one looks much more prominent from front than side (but front is an unusual view).  I'm not getting the brownish tones I'd expect from the back though - colour here looks more like a Swainson's.  hmmm

[Leslie Kinrys]

Hi Frank,

I'm thinking it's a Grey-cheeked Thrush, with the bold spots and the plain, not tawny, back.

[thouc]

Hermit, Swainson's and Wood all have eye-rings as this one, which would exclude Veery and Gray-cheeked. They eye-ring and sides of chest doesn't look buff as it should for Swainson's and it's not spotted enough for a Wood Thrush, which makes Hermit the only one left. Cannot see if the tail is reddish in these pictures though.

/Thomas

[Iain]

Swainson's Thrush.  The second pic shows a visible buffy supraloral which seems to be hidden by lighting/camera in the first pic.  Either that or you're tricking us with two different birds...


What are your thoughts Frank?

[BIGFRANK]

Since everything but Wood Thrush is in play,I will give my thoughts. Id never try to trick anyone with 2 pics of 2 different birds.  I thought immediately that the bird was a Swainsons Thrush. Im positive there was no rust in the tail,so it wasnt a Hermit Thrush,I always eliminate that first.  It didnt have the kind of overall colour of a Veery,though my experience viewing Veery is not extensive. It seemed to have too much buffy colour on the side of its face and chest area to be a Gray-cheeked Thrush. My overall impression was that it was a Swainson's Thrush. There were several like the one in the photos. There were 2 I viewed today,which I saw as Gray-cheeked,one which was within a few feet of a Swainsons,giving a good,though still subtle contrast.

[Bruce Colvin]

This is really a mystery. Are the colors accurate? It really doesn't seem typical of any of the thrushes. Eye ring seems too bold for a Gray-Cheeked. Absense of yellow lore in top photo pretty much eliminates Swaison's It could be a Hermit if the tail is reddish.  I am going to make two guesses, which is a terrible way of IDing birds. First choice would be a Hermit ( again if the tail is reddish.) My second guess would be a Gray-cheeked with a bolder eye ring than usual. It doesn't fit in with any of the other thrushes. Sometimes birds in the tougher families just can't be identified from a photo. So often the color of photos aren't accurate. I once photographed a Mute Swan and it came out with a bright red bill like a Cardinal. I guess this one might have to go into the Thrush sp. catagory. Man I hate having to do that. But this one sure is fun. Bruce