Update May 05 2005: I've added
Primary maps for birds E and G, and added zooms of the primaries
for birds I and J,
The Spring 2005 migration through coastal Texas saw a tremendous
number of Catharus thrushes in evidence. I was struck by
how some individuals left me a bit confused as to their identity,
and took a few photos to display here:
First, what I think are Veery-types:-
A) May 03; Port Aransas, Neuces County: this looks to be a typical
"Eastern" Veery C. f. fuscescens - although I
saw one that was significantly more-orangy and with much less
spotting:
B)May 03: Port Aransas: a darker bird, perhaps a pale "Western/Newfoundland"
Veery C. f. salicicolus/fuliginosus/subpallidus - ?
C) May 03: Port Aransas: a quite dark bird, with the following
points of interest:-
- the blackish malar
- the very dark brown upper chest spots
- the tail seems to be the "least-bright" part of the
bird
Presumably this is a dark example of a "Western/Newfoundland"
Veery C. f. salicicolus/fuliginosus/subpallidus - ?:
note that in the pic below, the distal half of the tail is catching
the sun, changing its tone compared to the rest of the bird:- Note that the pics below were taken an hour later at the
same spot - it may not be the same individual:
D)May 03; Port Aransas: another darkish bird - possibly a "Western/Newfoundland"
Veery C. f. salicicolus/fuliginosus/subpallidus - ?
Next, what I feel are "Gray-cheeked" Thrushes:-
E) May 03; Port Aransas: This bird really stood out to me, as
it seems to have a number of features of Bicknell's Thrush C.
bicknelli:-
- chestnut tail contrasting with the upperparts
- upperparts with a soft olive-brown tone rather than drab olive
- bases of primaries much warmer, orangy-brown
- a strong buff wash to the chest and side of the throat
- lower flanks clearly with warmer, buffy-olive tone
- primaries slightly less than the length of the exposed teritals,
and with rather close tip-spacing, distally.
But there are a few features that seem more like Gray-cheeked
Thrush C. minimus:-
- bill a bit long, and with the pale basal mandibular area not
bright yellow (although the pale area does extend for more than
half the length of the mandible)
- cheeks are clearly mottled with pale
If this is a Gray-cheeked Thrush it must surely be the nominate
minimus "Newfoundland" form - is that more likely
or less likely than Bicknell's Thrush on the Central Texas Coast
in early May?
Below is the Primary Map:- P8 (=8) is the longest; emargination
on P8 (=e8), P7 (=e7), and slightly on P6 (=(e6)). Compare the
position of the emarginate points relative to P-tips, with that
for Gray-cheeked Thrush G) below:
F) May 03; Port Aransas: a fairly typical "Standard"
Gray-cheeked Thrush C. m. aliciae; compare it to the bird
above, using the Bicknell's-like features listed there:
G) April 24; Sabine Woods, Jefferson County: a fairly typical
"Standard" Gray-cheeked Thrush C. m. aliciae;
compare it to the bird above, using the Bicknell's-like features
listed there:
Below is the Primary Map:- P8 (=8) is the longest; emargination
on P8 (=e8), P7 (=e7), and slightly on P6 (=(e6)). Compare the
position of the emarginate points relative to P-tips, with that
for possible Bicknell's Thrush E) above:
H) May 03; Port Aransas: a darkish "olive-backed" Swainson's
Thrush C. ustulatus:
I) May 03; Port Aransas: a darkish "olive-backed" Swainson's
Thrush C. ustulatus:
J) May 03; Port Aransas: a warmer Swainson's Thrush C. ustulatus
with the tail very slightly warmer than the rest of the upperparts
- but could this be mostly due to lighting? How close is this
bird to "Russet-backed Swainson's Thrush? - Note the following
features:
- head and mantle/scaps/lower back with warmish brown tone
- uppertail coverts, tail, and flight feathers a warmer, russet
tone
- ear coverts extremely plain with no pale streaking at all
- eyering rather thin
- shorter primary projection, with P-tips looking a bit more "bunched":
