ML625178019

Observation details

Continuing, found by, and in the yard of, Bruce Blosser. Dusty gray brown Mimid, white below, tan wash to the flanks, and heavily streaked black through the chest. Orange eye, and a subtle pattern to the face of a darker border to the auriculars, paired with a paler eye ring. Thin black bill, only slightly decurved. Structurally almost identical to NOMO, but behaviorally, much more thrasher-like, with an upright posture, and a very “run and stop” method of hunting crickets on the roadside. The attached field sketch was done on the back of paper signature sheets, in ballpoint pen that I found in the FedEx truck I was in, so there’s a few inaccuracies that I’d like to point out, namely the length and thickness of the bill, both being too large. Due to the medium at hand, I couldn’t really undo that, but overall I’m happy with it. Thanks to Bruce, both for the bird, lending me his binoculars to get a good look at it, and for better views of a bird I’d only seen poorly in the past. This also marks the 153rd species I’ve seen from a FedEx truck, so all in all, an excellent find.