Tweets,

Many years ago I saw my first VARIED THRUSH while staying in Grinnell,
Iowa for six months. It was in the cold season and we had feeders set up in
our rental house including a suet feeder hanging from a pole. One morning I
staggered out of bed and there was a VaTh! I called the knowledgable birder
in town. He said it had been reported from many places in town always where
there was a suet feeder although it always stayed on the ground under the
feeder apparently picking up morsels the other birds knocked down.
Now we see them much more frequently in our Washington yard and I have
never seen them on the suet block. They are always on the ground. Probably
like some humans who get addicted to M & M's some Varied Thrushs get suet
addictions.
----- Original Message -----
From: <variedthrush at comcast.net>
To: "TWEETERS" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 9:05 PM
Subject: Varied Thrush love peanuts


> The first year we fed Varied Thrush in our yard I learned they come for
the mountain ash berries, their staple is our leaf mulch critters, they will
politely eat our millet, and they will do anything for peanuts. I've even
seen a male hammer away at a whole peanut in the shell, open it with great
difficulty, and devour both kernels. Our VATH try to stand down the Rock
Pigeons for peanut crumbs from our Jays and squirrels. I keep three suet
feeders in the yard with plain suet or bug suet (to discourage House
Sparrows) and I've never seen a Varied Thrush look twice at them. I suspect
Isah's were after the peanuts in the suet, as for the fat eaters...maybe
they were desperate.
>
> P.S. We've had 5 Varied Thrush in the yard this winter. A banner year for
us. We do our best to hide their peanut kernel splits on the ground under
thick evergreen cover near their roosts.
>
> Patricia Lott
>
> --
> Seattle, WA
> VariedThrush at comcast.net
>
>
> female varied thrush jumped up onto the suet feeder,
> wobbled precariously on it for a second as it
> nervously surveyed the yard, and then spent a few
> minuets pecking at the contents. I for one have never
>
> seen them do this (at least in my yard). We use suet
> with peanuts in it, so i did not think there would be
> anything appetizing for the thrushes.
> All in all, a nice way to start a weekend.
>
> Isah Webb
> Woodinville, WA
>
>