Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2020

None

Temperature in the 30s, overcast, windy.

Bushnell 8x40 binoculars. Canon EOS 7D camera with Canon 100-400 mm IS lens.

I saw the same bird (almost certainly) on 4/8/20 (see my previous report for that date). On 4/8/20, I was struck by its superficial resemblance to a Northern Mockingbird, which I am quite familiar with, but closer observation and photographs showed that it was a Solitaire.

The bird was near the top of a fairly tall tree beside a dirt road, about 200 yards from where I saw it on 4/8/20. As indicated in my report for that date, this was in a quite isolated valley, on one side of which there's a large wetland (where two pairs of Great Blue Herons are nesting), and on the other side of which there's a hillside with scrub, bushes, some medium-sized evergreens and some medium-sized deciduous trees. Nearby there's a large, open hillside field.

As on 4/8/20, the bird was perching near the top of a fairly tree beside the road. I was able to watch it and take photographs for about 2-3 minutes. It then flew off into a more distant tree about 400 yards away, up the hill to the northwest.

None.

I saw the bird perching near the top of a fairly tall tree about 30 yards ahead of me, in plain sight but (as on 4/8/20) against a bright sky background. It was actively looking around, from side to side. I immediately recognized it as the same bird/species I had seen on 4/8/20, by its relatively upright posture and slim shape (particularly the shape of its bill and the v-shape of the end of its tail). I was able to take a short series of photographs. It then flew off to a second tree about 400 yards away, up the hill to the northwest.

Seemed about the size of a small American Robin (locally abundant at this time of year) or Northern Mockingbird.

See photograph. White eye ring.

See photograph. Shorter bill than Northern Mockingbird.

See photograph. Gray.

Lower back gray. Rump appeared to be a paler gray.

See photograph. Buffy wing patches characteristic of Townsend's Solitaire.

See photograph. Lighter gray than back.

See photograph. Long tail; slightly forked tip; white edges only faintly visible on this occasion.

As on 4/8/20, Northern Mockingbird. Its posture and shape (particularly the shape of its bill and the v-shape of the end of its tail) and its characteristic wing-markings clearly distinguished it from a Northern Mockingbird. See photograph.

I have now seen this bird in the same area on three occasions, on 4/8/20, 4/12/20 and 4/14/20. On 4/14/20, two other Vermont birders more experienced than me, Kyle Jones and Tii McLane, also saw it. It was seen subsequently, on 4/16/20, by Tii McClane and another birder. I'll submit a separate report for 4/14/20.