The genus Turdus seems to be one of the most successful at very high
altitudes around the world. Here are some examples:

Turdus nigrescens--Sooty Robin
Found at the very top of all volcanoes and high peaks in Costa Rica
up to 13,000 ft

Turdus pilaris--Fieldfare
Commonly found in the high country of Norway, Sweden and the Alps and Jura
common up to 12,000ft

Turdus plebejus---Mountain Robin
Common in the Costa Rican high country up to 13,000ft

Turdus torquatus--Ring Ouzel
Very common bird of the high Alps and can be found almost to the top of
Mont Blanc

Turdus viscivorus--Mistle Thrush
Like your robins, mistle thrushes can be found at all altitudes in western
Europe and often are in alpine areas during migration. Also can occur
above the tree line almost to top of Mont Blanc in open fields.

Turdus fuscater--Great Thrush
This largest of the Turdus family competes with the Condors in its ability
to live in highest part of the Andes up to 15,000ft

Turdus chiguanco--Chiguanco Thrush
Also found in the high Andes up to 12,000ft

Turdus dissimilis--Black-breasted Thrush
Very common in the Burmese High Country up to 9000ft

Turdus obscurus--Eye Browed Thrush
Common in al mountain areas of SE Asia up to 10,000ft

Turdus falcklandii--Austral Thrush
Common in the highcountry of southern Chile and Argentina uo to 8,000ft

These are the only thrushes I am familiar with but I am sure there are
more mountain Turdii that others might be aware of especially in the
himalayas where I haven't birded.


Hope this helps

Kevin

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Date: Tue, 31 May 1994 09:32:23 EDT
From: Gail Mackiernan <GAIL at UMDD.BITNET>
Subject: Hatteras pelagics last weekend

I have just returned from two pelagics out of Hatteras, Saturday and Sunday.
The Brian Patteson and Mike Tove trips were combined and we all went out on
the "Miss Hatteras."

Saturday was pretty rough, with wind and rather high swells, also a lot of
jerky motion due to crossing wave fronts. The recent thread on seasickness
was appropriate, as most folks were somewhat "uneasy" is not downright sick.
I was not happy -- not nauseous at all, but my head and eyes bothered me with
all the motion, part of which might have been due to the "patch" since that
is listed as a side effect. But at least I wasn't hanging over the side. The
wind was good for petrels, and we saw over 100 BLACK-CAPPED PETRELS, a good
number of CORY'S, AUDUBON'S, and a few GREATER and SOOTY SHEARWATERS. One
PARASITIC JAEGER and an unidentified jaeger sp. One nice RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
next to the boat. Lots of flying fish. Relatively few WILSON'S STORMPETRELS
and a couple LEACH'S. Quite a good group of sea-birders on board, including
Brian, Mike, Ned Brinkley and Paul Dumont. Everyone of course, was looking for
the rare Pterodromids, but on Saturday they were absent. There were few
migrant seabirds, probably because of the strong NW wind.

The next day, Sunday, found light easterly winds and a flat sea. Thus the
trip was far more enjoyable, although the light winds meant that lots of
birds were sitting on the water. The first bird was a beautiful adult
POMARINE JAEGER, light phase, flying steadily north. This was the first
of a number of migrating Poms we saw. We came up on a large flock of birds
on the water, which included 4-5 Poms, lots of Cory's and a couple Greater
Shearwaters. As we watched, another bird came in, sat down, and then took
off as the Cory's next to it flushed as the boat drifted towards it. There
was a brief moment of scrutuny, then a rather desperate cry from the boat
deck from Brian and Mike simultaneously -- HERALD PETREL! We immediately
gave chase as the bird flew away, a light phase Herald Petrel, showing
its characteristic dark back, white belly, bit of a collar, white and dark
underwing. We kept it in view for about 5-8 minutes, so everyone got good
views of this unique bird. Mike said it was only the second light-phase Herald
seen off North Carolina.

This was a lifer for a lot of the people on board, so when the chase was
finally abandoned, everyone clapped! The day was still young, so we kept
heading out to deeper water, seeing more Pom Jaegers, then a nice Parasitic,
all flying north and ignoring our offers of fish. Finally the numbers of
birds thinned, but as Ned said, this is often "where the good ones are" --
near the 1200 fathom line. We saw a couple birds up ahead on the water, and
moved closer. The first appeared to be a Sooty Shearwater, but as it flushed
there was another desperate cry -- HERALD PETREL! A dark phase bird this
time, obviously (once everyone looked carefully) no Sooty. Again the chase,
again everyone saw it well, pretty much a plain dark bird with light patches
at the base of the flight feathers.

Another 5 minute chase, more congrats. Boy, this was fun! What's next? Next
were three LEACH'S STORMPETRELS on the water, then another dry spell, then
two more Stormpetrels, one of which started to chase the other, and was
obviously larger -- a BAND-RUMPED! A couple more jaegers, the requisite
number of Black-Caps, Cory's and a few more Audubon's and Greaters.

Finally we decided to head back in to where the birds were more abundant.
We were trolling some ballyhoo rigs, and suddenly one of the rods bent down.
A fish! A BIG fish. Brian took the rod and raced to the bow and out on the
pulpit. The fish took out line fast and we still hadn't seen it. It ran
parallel to the boat, then in front, and then it jumped clear of the water.
A Blue Marlin! WOW. For a while there was some uncertainty about who had
who, the fish danced about, shaking its head, jumped again and again, then
flung itself backwards and threw the hook and was gone. Everyone was happy
about that, since it would have been released away. The first marlin
hooked off the Miss Hatteras, a good omen!

Back we chugged, and we saw a couple more birds on the water. The first
looked like a Sooty but we were forewarned ad we eased up every so slowly.
It was NOT a Sooty -- another Herald Petrel, would you believe! This one
sat doggo while photos were snapped, and we all took in the short gadfly
petrel bill, rounded head, uphead neck posture, high-riding body and short
tail -- quite a different jizz from a shearwater. Then it flushed and we
could see from the pale areas on the upperwing (where feathers had molted)
that it was a different dark-phase bird from the first one. It flew off
but we didn't chase it hard. A three HERALD PETREL day! Wow!

On the way back, not too much more excitement, save for a Loggerhead Turtle.
Everyone was happy if not ecstatic. We were also envying the folks going out
Monday with Mike, since the wind was now fully into the SE, the best for
migrants. Maybe he would top Sunday! But we working stiffs had to drive home
Monday -- a long 7 hours.

We ended a great day with Barry, me, Paul O'Brien, Ottavio Janni and Mike Tove
taking my jeep out to the Hatteras Point ternery to see the SOOTY TERNS
which are nesting this year. Four of them, two of them hovering over an egg!
A fine finish to the weekend.

p.s., Haven't heard what happened Monday...

Cheers, Gail Mackiernan, Gail at UMDD.UMD.EDU

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