Varied Thrush Visits

On Tuesday, the rainiest day of the week, Leslie told me there was a flock of birds in the backyard. I looked out to see a flock of Starlings, Juncos, Robins, AND a single Varied Thrush, a bird I’ve been looking for all winter and hadn’t seen yet.

I was sure it would be gone before I could run upstairs and get my camera, but I was wrong this time. Although most had disappeared, the female Varied Thrush was still there when I got back. When I saw her sitting in an empty bird bath, I decided to refill it, not expecting it to stick around. She watched me fill the bird bath and walk back in the house and cautiously hopped around the flower beds

as I took shots and readjusted camera settings trying to compensate for the lack of light.

Apparently satisfied that someone who would walk out and fill the bird bath on demand presented no danger, she proceeded to bathe

for the next five minutes.

Needless to say, it was the highlight of my day.