We have had a pair of varied thrush here for about 2 weeks now. They, a red-breasted sapsucker and other have been gleaning the last of the King apples from our tree here. Now the pair are hanging out with the juncos and towhees by the feeder.
Stef Neis
Whidbey Island
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 26, 2025, at 11:47 PM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters wrote:
Very interesting Chuq! Maybe the lack of snow kept them higher up, but with the snowfall now, they are starting to move downhill. We are almost at sea level and you are higher up and saw the thrushes earlier! We also get a pair of Downy Woodpecker almost daily, Flickers daily and also a female Townsend’s Warbler. Also loads of juncos, both chickadees (more Chest-nutbackeds)RB Nuthatches and lots of House Finches. I do not have Fox Sparrows, but have at least Half a dozen Golden-crowned Sparrows in the neighborhood.
Good Birding!
I saw my first-of-season Varied Thrush this morning. It was loosely associating with a flock of 20 + American Robins at the Dumas Bay Centre/Knudzen Theater here in Federal Way. I was just thinking the other day that I had not seen anyVaried Trush yet or seen any reported! I am also wondering if about any Pine Siskin sightings ?
We live at about 500’ elevation above Silverdale on the way towards Seabeck on about 4 acres of mostly pine/cedar/hemlock. We’ve gotten varied thrush here every winter, usually run early-mid December. We saw our first one about ten days ago, and so far this winter we’ve only seen a single bird twice a few days apart. So from my view, they’re kind of around but by now we usually have 5-7 being skittish and trying not to be seen.
Our annual fox sparrow showed up about the normal time (we actually have two!). The Robins have gone downhill, although one or two single birds might still be around, we normally lose them in November and don’t see them until they migrate uphill to announce that it’s spring. Overall, our bird population is about normal this winter (but no white-throated —we’ve seen them a couple of times but not every year). On the plus side, we have a female Downy at the feeders every day or two, to go with our Hairy, a few flickers and the local Pileated, so I’m not complaining. Lots of Juncos, chickadees (no chestnut this winter), spotted towhees and red-breasted nuthatches to keep the feeders busy.
My wife told me the other day she saw what she believes is a leucistic black-capped at the feeder. I’m now keeping an eye out for it to confirm. Will hopefully get pictures.
Chuq