=======================
8/22/06

Theoretically, any thrush nesting high up in the Cascades would be a Hermit Thrush. Although I haven't cracked open a book to check, Swainson's Thrush should be migrating south already.

Well, there's my 2 cents worth...

It must be grand up in the Cascades right nnow!

Phil Hotllen
Bellingham, WA
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Len Mandelbaum <lmandelbaum at olympus.net>
> Aug 16 we hiked from Rainy Pass (Hwy 20) up the Maple Pass trail to
> Heather Pass. Right at Heather Pass we thought we saw a nest like
> structure next to the trunk of a small dense conifer. We walked to
> the other side of the tree, lifted a branch and beheld a nest
> containing at least 2 hatchlings. One was larger with matted
> feathers(?), the other smaller and apparently all dark (?)brown lying
> at the bottom of the nest. The larger one's head looked black
> speckled with white; its breast seemed rust colored and its beak was
> golden. We didn't look long or up close for fear of disturbing
> these babies. The nest was dark brown and looked as though it had
> been cemented with mud.
>
> Just before discovering the nest, we saw a Swainson's thrush perched
> on a low tree close by with a large insect in its mouth. It stayed
> long enough for us to get a great close up view, then flew to another
> nearby small tree. Of course we wondered if that was the mother
> altho the large hatchling looked more like a robin in
> coloration. Then we thought maybe it was a brown cowbird baby, the
> one hatchling being more developed than the second and likely to
> claim any food brought to the nest. We couldn't find any pictures
> of Swainson's progeny.
>
> Any ideas on this? We'd have posted this right after the hike
> except for a computer breakdown!
>
> Thanks. Len Mandelbaum, lmandelbaum at olympus.net
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tweeters mailing list
> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
> http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters