[Tweeters] the almost crepuscular thrush

[Dennis Paulson]

Hello tweets,

We’ve had Varied Thrushes in the yard ever since that cold, snowy spell in late December, and it’s interesting to have them around so much. One thing I noted is how they do well in very low light levels. I think that’s true for other thrushes as well—they seem to have big eyes.

They begin to feed before it is light out, when I can barely see a movement in the grass. Yes, they feed on our “lawn” where we sprinkle millet seeds regularly. And they feed on those seeds everywhere we put them, including in the shrubbery. They remain in the yard feeding until very late in the afternoon, too. I’ve noticed that Spotted Towhees do the same thing, often not appearing in the yard until it is getting dark. Of course they can be present at any time of day, but they are definitely the last bird to feed on some afternoons. With the short days in the winter, feeding at 3:30 pm can be almost dark.

Varied Thrushes of both sexes also bathe in our fountain just before it gets dark, too dark to see anything but a silhouette splashing in the water.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Dennis Paulson
Seattle