---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Schrimpf <michael.schrimpf at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 11:28 AM
Subject: SAGE THRASHER at Magnuson Park
To: "Emily S. Runnells" <esrunnells at gmail.com>


Hi Emily,

Can you forward this to Tweeters?

This morning while birding Magnuson Park, I found a SAGE THRASHER foraging
among the thickets at the northeast part of the park. It was next to a
large hill of woodchips, near one of the entrances to the off-leash dog
area, here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24725585 at N05/8686909232/

I don't have a lot of experience with this species, but after good looks at
it, I am very confident in the ID. The bird was mostly running along the
ground, flipping through woodchips, and would occasionally pump its tail
when it stopped running. It was approximately the size and shape of a
robin, with dark legs, a dark bill, obviously pale irises, and distinct
streaks going all the way from the throat to the vent. The vent itself was
buffy, and the primaries looked mostly brown; head and back were gray. I
tried getting a good look at the underside of the tail, and it looked like
there might be white spots on the ends of outer retrices, but I couldn't
tell for sure.

I didn't have a camera, but a very friendly couple walking past let me use
their phone to take this picture through my binocular:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24725585 at N05/8686848994/

It's not a great photo, but you can easily see the yellow eye, streaks, and
general shape.

After it hopped into the thicket, out of sight, we tried playing the song a
couple of times, to see if it would come back out, or answer, but it did
neither.


Aside from this bird, the park was pretty quiet - nothing much singing
around Promontory Point and virtually nothing on the lake (although a
couple COMMON LOONS in breeding plumage were nice). The only other bird of
note was a first-of-the-year VAUX'S SWIFT for me.

Cheers,
Michael Schrimpf
Seattle
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