I saw it yesterday. Thought for sure it was a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). The Hermit Thrush is a common resident here during the winter, but there was something wrong. Something not quite right. I did some digging around on the Internet and was able to figure it out.

Looking so very much like the bird I was expecting to arrive, but not quite. This particular bird is a Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) migrating through on its way to its winter home in southern Mexico or perhaps even going further south in Argentina.

The difference in looks is pretty subtle. The Hermit Thrush has a thin, barely there, white eyering, while the Swainson’s Thrush has a more pronounced ecru eyering. And the difference that I noticed is the coloring of the whole bird. A Hermit Thrush is a rich dark suede gray-brown with a distinctive cinnamon colored tail. This Swainson’s Thrush is pure gray.

I’m hoping I’ll see more as they make their long journey to their winter homes.