[mou] Re: Hubbard Co. Wood Thrush

[patrick.beauzay@ndsu.edu]

Hello all,

More info on the potential Wood Thrush I found in Hubbard County on
Saturday.  I knew it was rather early for this species, and Jim Mattsson
informed me that it would be the earliest in the North by ten days! 
Because this is a very significant record date, I am now a bit hesitant in
positively identifying the bird as Wood Thrush.  Here is all the info I
have on the sighting.  Any feedback as to other ID possibilites would be
greatly appreciated.

My first instict when the bird flushed was brown thrasher because of the
bright, solid rusty back and wings, but as it flew I noticed that it just
wasn't big enough and the tail wasn't long enough for brown thrasher and I
saw no indication of wing bars, and that's why I continued looking for it.
At that point I figured that if it wasn't a brown thrasher, it was either
a very rusty veery or a wood thrush as it did appear thrush-shaped in
flight and seemed a bit smaller than a robin.  It flew straight away from
me into the underbrush.  It kept scooting and flying short distances,
always with its back to me, trying to avoid me in the underbrush (the
"skulking" behavior reference, perhaps badly worded on my part) and I
never got a completely satisfying look at the bird.  In the underbrush, I
was able to see its rusty back and overall size which again was too small
for a brown thrasher.  I wish I could have seen the side of the head, or
even the flanks!  I returned in the evening and on Sunday morning in the
hopes of catching its song, but had no success.  Nor did I hear any veery
or brown thrasher phrases in the area, but that doesn't mean much either.

Because this would be a very significant date record, I am now hesitant to
give the bird a positive ID of Wood Thrush.  I am certain that it was not
a brown thrasher, but I don't feel that I can 100% positively ID this bird
on process of elimination without seeing other key field marks.  I thought
it seemed very early for wood thrush (though I didn't know how early until
I received Jim Mattssons's e-mail), but I just don't know what else it
could likely be.  Could it have been an aberrant veery or an aberrant
hermit thrush?  When the bird initially flew, I viewed it in direct
sunlight with the sun behind me and it was a very bright rust color,
seemingly too bright for either a veery or hermit thrush.

If anyone has any thoughts, I'd be happy to hear them!

Good Birding,

Pat



Patrick Beauzay
Department of Entomology
217 Hultz Hall, Bolley Drive
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58105
701-231-9491
Patrick.Beauzay@ndsu.nodak.edu

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/entomology/
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