Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2024

Cool and cloudy November day around freezing

Leica Noctivid 10x42

I know Swainsons and Hermit well and all the field marks for those two species seemed to be absent. The bird "felt" different from any Hermit Thrush I had seen (this would be the most typical species and only expected). I have not seen Gray-Cheeked before, but several experienced birders leaned that direction. No one gave a clean 100% ID, so Catharus Sp may be most appropriate

Woods edge, lawn

Feeding and hopping on ground, no tail flicks, staying in generally one place for about 10 minutes. Did not leave the grass while I observed, was not particularly shy

None

Seen out the window of my condo, very familiar with Hermit Thrush and was clear this was not like any Hermit I have seen. Grabbed binoculars and watched for a while. Olive gray all over, foraging on ground, slight, but not pronounced eye ring and no buffyness or rusty color on the face, just gray and pale. Spotting on chest was concentrated and faded off fast on flanks, leaving sides pale. Bill was slaty with a hint of mustard toward the base. Seemed more tame than other thrushes i've encountered, came close to the screen door while i trued to photograph with my phone.

Seemed a bit smaller than a typical hermit thrush, much smaller than a robin

Olive gray almost slaty at the crest

Feet pale yellow, bill was dark slaty or brown with a tinge of yellow at the base

Olive brown

Gray, slight brown to slaty gray, no chestnut or rufous colors

uniform to back, olive gray

Streaking and spots concentrated high on chest, dark brown spotting

Short and stiff seeming, same color as back and wings

I felt that Hermit was eliminated because there was no sign of chestnut or rufous color on the tail, no buffy flanks, behavior did not seem right. Overall seemed more drab gray.

Swainsons did not fit, face markings did not match Swainsons I have seen, the spotting on the chest did not continue down flanks, Eye ring seemed more faint.