Is there a way to attract Hermit Thrushes the way one can whistle a Swainson's
Thrush out of the woods?

Also, I had a thrush this morning in an apple tree on the edge of the woods in
our yard. It looked like the Hermit Thrushes I have seen in the past here in
winter. I haven't had a vocal response from Swainson's Thrushes since last
Wednesday. This bird was uniformly olive-brown on the back with a decidely
rusty but not quite reddish tail. Sibley shows the west coast form of the
Swainson's to be similar to this as well as the Hermit Thrush. Is that because
the printing on Sibley brings out the reddish tones or do our local Swainson's
show that much reddish color in their tale? Departure dates for the last few
Swainson's and arrival dates for the first Hermit Thrushes on Vashon Island
have tended towards the last couple of days of September and early October.
Any suggestions?

Ed Swan
Vashon Island
swanbarn at concentric.net
(206) 463-7976