Day 166: A few days ago, I thought I heard the whistle of the Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius), but dismissed it from mind because my mental record of its phenology told me it was too early. I should have known to trust my ear. Thrush (at least two) are appearing at my feeders, this being the best restaurant on their maps, and also scratching in the leafy debris under the contorted filbert (an area generally considered by the Spotted Towhees to be their private domain). While Thrush prefer a diet of insects during spring and summer months, switching to fruit and nuts in autumn, these seem perfectly happy with black-oil sunflower seed. Black-oil seed is by far the most popular fare among my guests. Only the Northern Flickers and Red-Breasted Sapsuckers demand anything else, and lately if I've let their provision of suet run out, the Flickers have been taking possession of the trays as soon as I refill them. Thrush can be aggressive towards other bird species, but with plenty of food available, I've seen no arguments. Largely a species of west-coast evergreen forests, Varied Thrush are known to winter in the upper midwest and northeastern portions of the United States.
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