Central Park 11/29--Varied Thrush

We've been on a life bird jag this month:

• WHITE-TAILED KITE, Barnegat, NJ, 11/6
• FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER, Stamford, CT, 11/21
• NORTHERN SHRIKE, Jones Beach, NY, 11/21
• BARNACLE GOOSE, Bronx, NY, 11/27
• VARIED THRUSH, New York, NY, 11/29

The Varied Thrush at Central Park was reported yesterday and while it was tempting to go, the thought Central Park on the last day of a holiday weekend was simply unbearable to me, so we hoped it would stick around at least one more day (and not be scared away be photographers, like the Barnacle Goose).

We arrived at the maintenance meadow on the edge of The Ramble about 8:15 where 9 or 10 birders were already milling about. Lots of White-throated Sparrows, a couple of titmice, plenty of Blue Jays, but the only thrush I saw was a Hermit Thrush on the way in. 

After about 20 minutes Shari heard someone call out (I was wool-gathering, looking at a grackle) and we ran (well, trotted) out of the meadow over to the hill next to the maintenance building. The thrush was behind a tree. I moved off farther away, so as not spook the bird, but higher up the hill when another birder saw it behind a tree. I was on the bird immediately (amazing in itself) got a great look and called Shari to come up to where I was. Naturally, it went in to the shadows and underbrush. 

Suddenly, another call went up, and we ran (well, walked fast) down the hill and closer to the building. The thrush was up near a fence, in the leaves. You had to have just the right angle to see it clearly. Shari, happily, was able to see it and then I got on it again, and watched it for a good minute, seeing the diagnostic field marks ( orange-yellow eyestripe, grayish breast band) getting a satisfactory look. The bird was scratching in the leaves, facing us head on and it look to me like it was doing push ups.  

Having notched our 5th life bird for the month, we decided it was time to get back to our other lives and left the park after about an hour. 

List for the day:

Number of species:    19
Mallard    7
Red-bellied Woodpecker    1
Blue Jay    7
American Crow    1
Black-capped Chickadee    1
Tufted Titmouse    2
White-breasted Nuthatch    2
Carolina Wren    1
Hermit Thrush    1
VARIED THRUSH   1    Hill on east side of maintenance bldg, near the fence. 
European Starling    5
Eastern Towhee    1    Same hill as VATH
Song Sparrow    1
White-throated Sparrow    40
Dark-eyed Junco    2
Northern Cardinal    1
Common Grackle    1
American Goldfinch    3
House Sparrow    5