Tweeters,

At 9:30 am this morning (4 October), while taking a break from work, I
donned my binos to see what migrants might be in the garden (Wapato WA). The
first fog of the fall season had just cleared and robins and Northern
Flickers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, and
Yellow-rumped Warblers seemed everywhere in the trees. By and by I heard
"thup" calls from thrushes, but which kind? I squeked a Hermit into a dead
oak branch above thick brush. Seconds later another thrush popped into view,
only 3 feet away from the Hermit, and on the same horizontal branch. It was
distinctly larger (say 1/2 inch), with an incomplete (distal half only)
eye-ring, plain gray-brown face, no buffish spectacles, dark brown
upperparts (same hue as nearby Fox Sparrow upperparts), including tail.
Below, the breast spotting was heavier and larger than the Hermit. Its
flanks were darker gray than the nearby Hermit, also.

What was most noticeable was its larger size. There is no chance for error
due to perspective in this detail, as I was observing the Hermit at the same
distance.

I am aware of the pitfalls in identification of Catharus thrushes, so label
this sighting as hypothetical. I will attempt to get photographers out this
morning.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at nwinfo.net