ML619250045

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Lifer! Continuing bird found Thursday by Connor Cochrane and refound this morning by Nils Warnock. I think he said it was initially spotted this morning near the residence and that it flew up from there into the cypresses and over to the oven, which is where I saw it (37.997173,-123.017937). We had no sight or sound of it for over two hours, but it gave great looks several times between 8 and 8:35. The first look I had at it was up high in a cypress, but the rest of the time it was either on the ground or on very low perches, often disappearing in the dense cover of the oven but also boldly jumping out on the street. Once it even flew straight at us coming well within five feet of Yvette before turning away! It was not associating with any other birds during the time I observed. The ID has already been well established by the photos and observations of others, but my personal impression at the time was one of a very cool-toned Catharus thrush lacking in any prominent features for the genus like the buffy wash or bold eye ring of a Swainson's or the rufous tail of a Hermit. Upon closer examination of my photos, I think it's safe to call this a member of the aliciae subspecies (certainly the more expected on the west coast) by the limited amount of pale color on the base of the bill not extending much at all beyond the nostril. It also appears to be an adult by the even wear and lack of pale shaft tips in the secondary coverts. Despite setting my phone down a few times to record several dozen minutes of audio and listening intently throughout observing the bird, I never heard or recorded any vocalizations from it. Gray-cheeked Thrush is one of those species I think of as a birder's bird. I doubt this is anyone's spark bird. It's the kind of bird many across the pond would call a little brown job and nearly all non-birders have likely never looked at closely. And yet, there we were, searching, hoping, waiting, and eventually rejoicing at the chance to glance at a bird whose most distinctive feature is being relatively featureless.

Technical information

Model

COOLPIX P1000

ISO

400

Flash

Flash did not fire

Dimensions

3982 pixels x 2986 pixels

Original file size

2.24 MB