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Project Noah Nature School
Ixoreus naevius
They have a gray-blue back with a orange belly. There is a black collar on the breast and a black mask on the face.
They breed in conifer forest mountains in Alaska, Washington, and Canada. They migrate to Oregon and California in the Winter. This guy in Texas is a rare bird and I was very happy to get him!
This guy has been hanging out in a man's backyard for about 3 weeks now, and he welcomes anyone who wants to come see it. He has a very bird friendly backyard, and the thrush came in and was feeding on peanuts for about 5 minutes before a blue jay flew in, making their god awful noise that they make, and it scared the thrush off and he never came back. Was a good 5 minutes though! :)
Spotted on Feb 14, 2013
Submitted on Feb 15, 2013
9 Comments
That's awesome! Someday when I have time, I'm going to take like a month and go herp and bird the whole east coast and bum places to live off of everyone I know in pretty much all those states haha. So so many things I need to find out there, especially considering my salamander/newt list only consists of 7 species :(
I did find it and there was a bonus European bird there that I got too, a White-winged Tern.
If you ever get up this way, I'd definitely help you find birds and herps. One of my friends just did a big year for herps in Massachusetts and ended up with 45 species. He only missed 3 or 4 not counting sea turtles.
Wow, I couldn't imagine driving that far and not getting proof of it! I assume you found it? There is a Scoter in Houston right now, but of course I'm at school. If it will stick around for another month I want to see it so badly! One day I'll make it to the east coast, you'll have to help me find birds and herps!
40 hours would get you up my way, 40 minutes sounds better:-) The furthest I drove for a lifer was 12 hours, the one and only North American appearance of a Whiskered Tern, pre camera days for me.
Wow, 40 minutes. 40 hours is way too long to go after a bird lol
Thanks! I had tried for him before and he didn't show up, but it was only a 40 hour drive so I tried again a few days later and he showed up. Also got my lifer Sharpie and Townsend's Solitaire in this guys yard, and the Sharpie is why the thrush never showed up the first time I was there haha
Ashley, these are nice pictures! Varied Thrush's are very skiddish and hard to get close to. Nice lifer!
Congrats Ashley on one of your first of many rare bird chases! I am glad you had success after your other attempts!
Congrats! What a neat bird to see!