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One Of Many
A favorite bird. Technically one of many favorite birds. There are too many to narrow it down to one favorite! This is a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). Four days ago. It was in my yard getting ready to splash around in the bird bath. The Hermit Thrush is a bird that I only see during…
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One Of Many
The birds here have not gotten a lot of attention during the past month. The feeder looked mighty lonely this morning. I set off to change the situation, very carefully going out to the feeder with my new knee. Hulled black oil sunflower seeds, dried mealworms, and raisins. The birds heard me call as I…
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Snow Early Morning Into The Night
This morning when I woke up, there was about an inch of snow on the ground. It was not snowing then, but it started up again after breakfast and has continued through the day, and is snowing now as I write this at 9 in the evening. The bird feeder got refilled after breakfast too,…
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Beautiful Song
One showed up this morning. The first day of 2024. I always anticipate something special showing up on important days. This was that special something, a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). Not arriving for the seeds at the feeder, they’re not interested in that, but arriving to get a splash in the birdbath. And oh the…
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An Occasional Visitor
This morning there was a visitor at the birdbath. That’s generally where I see the Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). Most often I see one at the birdbath, but on occasion I’ll see one at the Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) or Beautyberry bushes (Callicarpa) eating the berries. Mostly it is just one, not two or three.…
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Winter Resident
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). They don’t come to my feeders, but I often see them at the birdbath. While they’re here during the winter, they eat berries. While they’re away during the breeding season, they eat insects and invertebrates. Wondering if they’re finding any to eat now. Though it technically is winter, it sure has…
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An Afternoon Hello
A Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) stopped by this afternoon to say hello, as it was hunting for a dinner of berries. The second portion of it’s scientific name, gusttatus, is Latin for spotted. It’s one of several that are called the spotted thrushes. During the winter, identification becomes easy since this is the only spotted…
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Red Berries of Spicebush
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). In spring this bush of the eastern woods of North America create a wash of soft yellow with small but plentiful blooms. By autumn the blossoms have turned to brilliant red berries. Much to the delight of many birds, including two of my favorites, the Hermit Thrust, and the Red-eyed Vireo.