Subject: [Tweeters] Lewis County Varied Thrush
Date: Nov 20 11:49:27 2010
From: Darlene Sybert - drsybert at northtown.org


Yesterday, November 19, the first Varied Thrush was spotted here in
Cinebar on the ground near the Hazelnut tree.

This morning--with temperatures below 40 degrees--most of the bird
activity here was in and around a sheltered-corner garden patch with
only a maple tree, rhodies, and a couple small evergreens remaining.
Recently, I hung a bird feeder there that I fill with unshelled
Sunflower seeds with shelled sunflower and other seed scattered on the
ground below it.

At 11 this morning, there were two Varied Thrush feeding on the ground
there with a half dozen Juncos, a spotted Towhee, and a Fox Sparrow. In
the feeder in succession were Black-caps, a half dozen Evening Grosbeak,
and a couple Stellar jays. And, most surprising to me, was a Flicker
couple (male and female) pecking around for more than ten minutes on the
lawn in front of the flower bed. The Varied Thrush joined them at
intervals--one of them rapidly turning over leaves as large as he was.

Since then, on the other side of the house, I've seen a Song Sparrow on
a brush pile, Jays scolding from a nearby grove of trees, and two
Juncos and a Black Cap at the feeder who were joined for a few minutes
by a Robin--first Robin I have ever seen in a feeder!

Darlene
Cinebar
Lewis County