I was slowly walking along the pond lily trail when I saw a couple of varied thrushes foraging on the ground. I watched them move along the edge of the trail foraging through the leaves. They are usually quiet and very aware of their surroundings. I heard someone coming from the opposite direction and one of them popped up onto this fallen tree to look around. I was able to capture a couple of photos before it flew away.
I don’t see this bird very often in my birdwatching excursions, so it is always exciting to see one. In my experience, varied thrushes show up at Mt. Pisgah in the winter, especially during stormy weather. I imagine that they come down to lower elevations to ride out the inclement conditions.
For me, the varied thrush is an iconic bird of the Pacific Northwest. The male is so elegant with its bold markings and coloration — a black breast-band across its orange body, an orange eye stripe, orange wing bars and a blue-gray back. I love to hear its song resonate through the forest in the early morning.
