7. Varied Thrush

Varied Thrushes (Ixoreus naevius) usually arrive at Leaning Oaks in the first week of September, their presence made known by their train whistle song. They are here all winter through April, with a small number of birds lingering until the last week of May. Despite their noisy presence as part of the early spring dawn chorus, we have no breeding records for the property.  Our best Varied Thrush viewing was the year that the winter residents figured out that if they came to the suet feeders when the Northern Flickers were there; the crumbs that rained down were easy pickings! They were totally tuned into the feeding of the flickers and would arrive within minutes to clean up.  

This was my first choice for the BC's official bird when the vote was on in 1987 -so elegant and much of its breeding range fits nicely with in the south and eastern borders of the province. Much better than the squawky Steller's Jay! 

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