[mou] Hermit Thrush, Woodlake Nature, Hennepin Co.

[connyb]

Birding at this time of year is a definite wardrobe challenge, but I was happy that I put my heavy coat, hat, and mittens to go out this morning.  At Woodlake in Richfield I flushed up 2 different American Woodcocks, and the first one took me by surprise, and I almost jumped right out of my boots!  The rich cinnamon color underneath, and the twittering sound the plain wings make on takeoff, and long bill was a great visual treat.  I was watching for them after that, and  the second one I got good looks at the back pattern.

I must have had 40 different Fox Sparrows in the binos looking for a Hermit Thrush with no luck.  Then when I was just about up to the Nature Center looking at a pair of Sparrows that were under the feeders a Hermit Thrush popped up and bounced into the window.  That crazy bird did it three more times, and kept his complete white eye-ring on me.  I backed off and watched this warm brown Hermit Thrush with its black spots flick its redtail looking confused and a little dazed.

Then I went over to Veteran's Park and walked the loop and saw 2 more American Woodcocks fly out. I also enjoyed that cute little Winter Wren with its short tail cocked up, chitting away working the brush piles.  There are still tons of Fox Sparrows singing up a storm, but the Kinglet numbers dropped dramaticically from Wednesday.

Conny Brunell
Richfield, Hennepin Cty
connyb@mycidco.com