Hermit thrush visitor

Well, look who's drinking from the birdbath!

I last saw a Hermit thrush in the backyard about a year ago, but I had no idea what kind of bird it was, even trying to identify it through different online websites. Because the bird just visited several times last winter, and then wasn't seen again I didn't pursue its identity further.

But last weekend, looking through the kitchen window, I observed an identical bird. After I took the photos here, I used a great app by The Cornell Lab, merlinbird ID http://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

And yes, the bird here is definitely a Hermit thrush!

The Hermit thrush usually only breeds in forests, and sometimes winters in wooded suburban neighborhoods. We certainly have chillier temperatures here now, and there are several huge shrubs and many other plants growing in the backyard, surrounded by very large trees. Apparently the backyard seems to be the perfect spot for the Hermit thrush, which mainly eats insects and berries.

Welcome, Hermit thrush!

​​SMLXL