[mou] Varied Thrush north of Chisholm

[Gerry Sibell]

Hello Christine,

I regulary click on the moumn website to see if there are any owls in the area.  I am more into the photography aspect of birders so I wouldn't consider myself a birder by any stretch of the imagination!  

I have been following the threads on the varied thrush.  The last two days I have seen two birds I'm not familiar with feeding on the ground by my feeders.  The birds are definitely skittish.  Yesterday, I just got a glance of the male.  He was quite colorful and at first glance, I thought he might be an evening grosbeak.  He was too far away to get a very good look at but was definitely quite colorful. I also saw the female yesterday.  Today, I was going to fill my feeders and didn't realize there was a bird on the ground.  The bird flew into one of the spruce trees.  I did get a fairly good look at it.  I should have taken a picture but it was terrible light.  At first, I thought the bird could be a female rosebreasted grosbeak but the bill was too sharp and not blunt like a grosbeak.  The bird made a sound that seemed similar to a grouse.  In fact, with the brown color I was wondering if it was one but it was way too small for a grouse.  It was about the size of a robin and had a white stripe above the eye.  There are no other birds with them either.  I have my usual chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and blue jays but they don't mingle with them at all.  I have had flocks of pine grosbeaks, goldfinches and sparrows but haven't noticed these birds with them.

I just thought I'd get your opinion on what the birds could be.  I do have two blinds set up in my yard and have been photographing the birds when they come in to feed.  If we get any sunlight up here maybe I'll get lucky and get a picture of these birds I've described!  BTW, I live out by the Hibbing-Chisholm Airport.

If I get a picture, if you would like, I will email it to you so you can see what they are.

Gerry Sibell   
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