Day 174: The Varied Thrush has been hanging out under the contorted filbert for several days now, and although I've managed to capture a rather mediocre "field guide" image, this shot is my favourite. It demonstrates just how effective the broken colour pattern can be for camouflage, despite the bird being rather vibrant otherwise. Thrush brings insects to the surface by scatching furiously at the ground for a second, grabbing a bite and then standing stock-still. In doing so, he foils predators by melting into the mosaic of light and shadow. As with the camera lens in this photo, the viewer's focus shifts to the nearer objects and is distracted from the bird by the visual interference. Frequently as I sat on my perch at the open window, my eyes would stray to the side to look at another bird, and I would lose track of his position even though the Thrush hadn't budged. He might be obvious when he's walking on the lawn, but in the shrubbery, he is a master of concealment.
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