A faithful winter resident. This morning a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) appeared at my birdbath reminding me that soon I’ll need a water warmer out there to keep the water from freezing. These photos, above, are my visitor the Hermit Thrush this morning.

Perhaps you’ll remember that just a week ago I thought my first Hermit Thrush had stopped by to say hello. But it was another Thrush. The first time for me to see a Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus). A learning experience. Such subtle differences. These two lower images are the Swainson’s Thrush from last Friday. The most striking thing I notice (though still subtle) is the color difference. The Hermit Thrush has a cinnamon color on its wings and tail. The Swainson’s Thrush is gray-brown with no hint of cinnamon.

Now that I know the difference between these two birds, I’m hoping I’ll notice right away when another Swainson’s Thrush comes migrating through.