Calling all ace birders: Thrush Species


Posted by Brian L. Zwiebel on Thu Dec 18, 2003 8:40 am

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Hi all, I thought I had this one figured out. I had held the bird in the hand to warm it after it had struck the bedroom window near the feeder back in September. I found it flat out on its back, feet in the air and presumed it was dead. I held it till it started gripping my fingers in its feet and was able to keep its head up and eyes open. Not wanting to waste this opportunity I set the bird up on a semi-open perch minutes after the sun cleared the horizon.

Some unscrupulous bird photographers have suggested I will be seen on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh carrying a fat headed tennis racket in the near future. Suggesting that stunned warblers would be much easier to photograph than flitting fluffs of feathers on speed! :twisted:

This is the image that made me order another box of Provia. This is original Velvia pushed one stop. In EML with Velvia plus the ever mounted warming filter in my 500mm is just too much. For that first hour or so I now shoot Provia. I did a little color correcting with the scan, the original is way over the top with orange light, at least for my tastes.

Eos 1v, 500mm IS, 1.4x II,

So, which thrush is it?

Thanks for your comments and for your ID help.

BZ

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by fredcor on Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:08 am
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Wonderful. I'm sorry I don't know, but the experts should'nt have any trouble identifying the bird with this shot!

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by Alan Murphy on Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:13 am
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Brian, I believe you have a Grey-Cheeked Thrush. The shot does look a little warm. I would have probably made this a horizontal image. A nice image of a tough to get species.
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by Cliff Beittel on Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:14 am
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Nice shot. I can't help with the ID (not a Wood Thrush, though!). But why not ditch the filter rather than the Velvia? I agree a warming filter is awful with Velvia in good light, but I've never seen shots in good light where I didn't prefer Velvia to Provia (just saw another example on my light table in the last week). The latter looks fine in isolation, but flat compared with Velvia.
 

by E.J. Peiker on Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:36 am
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I like the shot but as you say, a bit too warm but not terribly so. An excellent photo and you can always desaturate the yellow and red channel a bit.

I think Velvia is a poor choice of film for anything but overcast days personally as you give up a whole stop in exposure range to other slide films and then when you add a push it becomes even less. Not to mention the horrible colors it produces in most circumstances (OK, the bullets are flying my way :D I HATE Velvia in most circumstances :evil: )
 

by Greg Downing on Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:52 am
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Very nice Brian. I find the colors pleasing as is. Since I am not an ace birder I will pass on the ID, though certainly not a wood thrush as Cliff pointed out. The bird looks so small and fragile. I will also pass on the film discussion, as it's all a matter of taste. ;)
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by Harvey Edelman on Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:18 am
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Have you noticed how many of us are not ace birders :D ? Aside from that it's a very nice capture :wink:
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by Terence P. Brashear on Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:23 am
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With all that buffy coloration on the cheek and breast, as well as the buff eye ring I'll go with Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus). Gray-cheeked Thrush(Catharus minimus) has a gray eye ring/cheek and is not as buffy.

I like the light in this image.

Regards,

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by Cliff Beittel on Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:51 am
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Terence P. Brashear wrote:With all that buffy coloration on the cheek and breast, as well as the buff eye ring I'll go with Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus). Gray-cheeked Thrush(Catharus minimus) has a gray eye ring/cheek and is not as buffy.
You may be right, but note you are judging buffiness of a bird photographed in warm light, with a warm film, and a warming filter!
 

by Bill Whala on Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:53 am
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A sweet looking bird in very nice light. I can't help with the ID, sorry.
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by John Fortner on Thu Dec 18, 2003 12:00 pm
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Swainson's is my guess, of course that will pretty much push the odds to another species!

BTW - Nancy intends to find you a tennis racquet frame for this shot!
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by Mike Wilson on Thu Dec 18, 2003 1:54 pm
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I also say Grey-cheeked Thrush. The more extensive dark bill color and eye ring are good marks. The catharus thrushes are a tough bunch to ID.
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by James McIntyre on Thu Dec 18, 2003 2:40 pm
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I also vote for Swainson's (Catharus ustulatus swainsoni). This bird has a reasonably distinct eye-ring and buffy lores. It doesn't have a gray cheek patch.
 

by Bruce DiVaccaro on Thu Dec 18, 2003 3:18 pm
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Brian,

I don't know Thrushes well enough to help with the ID, but I do like the image. The light and the colors look great as presented. Glad the little guy made a recovery.
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by DC on Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:11 pm
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Sweet little birdie. No idea which one tho :)
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by Jim Urbach on Thu Dec 18, 2003 7:08 pm
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Brian,

I can't help with the ID, but this morsel is sweet. Please don't bring your tennis racquet when you come to Florida.

Jim
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by Jill on Thu Dec 18, 2003 8:22 pm
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Brian, I've asked my ace birding friend to take a look. Am surprised no one has considered Veery. Have you any other view of this thrush?
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by BrianS on Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:08 pm
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Gotta pass on the ID but I do like the image -- the only change I'd make is horz vs. vert.
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by John Fortner on Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:15 pm
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Just to cover my rear by saying both...looking closely at my Sibley's, the bill seems to match more clearly with Gray-cheeked. In the Swainson's illustration the light color on the lower mandible extends further toward the tip then what I see here.
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by Jill on Thu Dec 18, 2003 11:06 pm
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Page 406 in Sibley, as follows: "Western and Newfoundland populations of Veery average darker,
duller brown above and are more heavily spotted on breast than Eastern birds, but differences are subtle."
Ace birder and I have same gut feeling, it's a Veery. I.D. is difficult from one image, but I see no gray on the cheek.
Jill Rosenfield
 

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