I voted for SWAINSON'S THRUSH over Veery because:
The eyering is too complete for Veery.
The lores (between eye & bill) are dark.

Other subtle markings point to Swainson's.
Breast spotting, Gray sides.

Thanks Gaylord. Good exercise. Ain't technology great!

Craig Corder
ccorder at eoni.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gaylord Mink" <gmink at bentonrea.com>
To: "Tweeters" <Tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 11:38 AM
Subject: Possible Veery identificaton


> Dear Tweeters
>
> I hope this message reaches any "experts" on spotted-breasted thrushes
> that may be lurking out there in computer land. It is also aimed at
> anyone who may be interested in the identification or misidentification
> of a possible Veery.
>
> Twice in 1999 and once during the summer of 2000 I reported a Veery
> among the birds that I observed near the mouth of the Siletz River in
> Lincoln county, Oregon. Recently Joel Geier informed me that so far as
> he is aware there is no records of this bird in Lincoln county before my
> reports. This raised the possibility that perhaps the Veery(s)? I
> reported might, if fact, be a local race of Swainson's thrush. Being an
> acknowledged novice birder with a track record of multiple
> identification errors on both sides of the Cascades, I immediately
> turned to my video tapes to provide whatever support exits for my
> tentative identification. Within 1000' of the sightings of the Lincoln
> county Veery? I have also recorded several Hermit Thrushes (primarily
> during the winter months) and an occasional "typical" Swainson's
> Thrush. I have posted images of these on my web site at
> http://www.angelfire.com/wa/minkgi
>
> Recently I posted 4 of the best images I could find (unfortunately not
> near National Geographic quality) of the bird(s) in question that was
> observed in July this year. The first image was take while the bird
> was on a telephone line just as it flew into a bush. The remaining 3
> images are of a bird (I thought of the same bird) in the bush. I cannot
> be absolutely positive that there were not two birds present.
> Nevertheless, the 4 images illustrate the range of characteristics I
> attributed to the Veery?
>
> I have no problem admitting to an identity error if in fact I have made
> one. On the other hand I would like feel a bit more confident about
> what I saw. I have very thick skin to technical criticism; relatively
> thin skin to personal criticism.
>
> If you are interested in helping resolve this minor identity crisis
> please visit the above site and let me know what you think.
>
> --
> Gaylord Mink
> Prosser, Wa
> mailto:gmink at bentonrea.com
> http://www.angelfire.com/wa/minkgi
>
>