During the fall, as the various berries started to ripen, I spotted quite a few birds feasting on them!
This hermit thrush was huge surprise when I noticed it at the Justin Bieber Lookout Point!
Hermit thrushes are usually quite shy around humans, but not this one.
Birds in the thrush family include American Robins, Veery, Varied Thrushes and Wood Thrushes.
Most thrushes live in the underbrush of mixed forests and occasionally visit bird feeders.
Their diet consists of insects, spiders, seeds and during the fall and winter also berries.
You can easily identify them by their spotted breasts and thin white eye-ring.
They have a reddish rump and a grey-brown back.
The hermit thrush in this photo is eating a Oregon native snow berry.
Until last year I was unaware that this park has such a variety of birds.
It’s really a suburban paradise as long as one ignores the constant hum of the nearby highway.
Right now, parts of the park are still off limits due to ice damage to many of the trees.
Next week I will venture there to check on the clean-up progress.
🙂
in cahoots with muddy boots 
The older I get, the more I enjoy watching the birds. Maybe it’s because I’m slowing down and taking the time. Happy first day of spring, my friend! 😎💐
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Same here, Missy! There’s something nice about not being in a hurry! Happy Springtime to you too! 🙂
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This is a pretty bird whose beauty is enhanced by the red berries around it and your photographic skills Sabine.
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Thank you Linda! These thrushes are quite beautiful and until the last couple of years I’ve rarely seen any. 🙂
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You were lucky to see them Sabine. I watched an online seminar by Detroit Audubon Society last night. It was called “Birding by Ear” and gave a lot of common birds and their birdsong and how to learn their calls using mnemonics. It was interesting and also interesting was one call of a Chickadee (not its most-common call) was being played and a loud jungle-type call was in the background. I asked what it was as I hear that at Council Point Park … it turns out it was a Flicker. I’ve heard of Flickers and seen their photos, but never saw one in person. So we must have Flickers at CPP – it sounds like a jungle noise with monkeys sometimes.
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Linda, what fun to take the birding-by-ear seminar! I’ve been working on identifying birds by ear for years. Some are really easy, others not so much. Now that you know the call of a flicker you’ll see one before too long. We get them all day long at the suet feeder. Chickadees are just cute, and yes, they do have an assortment of calls, songs and chatter noises. I read an article the other day on how endangered birds are having trouble learning all their songs and calls if the “adults” are in short supply to teach the juvenile birds. Sad! I will be going to the park this weekend and hope to see lots of birds there! Be safe and happy birding-by-ear, Linda! 🙂
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I did enjoy the birding-by-ear seminar Sabine and she has another one which is longer and more comprehensive in April. Detroit Audubon Society posted this seminar on YouTube, so will likely do that seminar as well – if you are interested, I’ll be happy to forward the link to you. That is sad that there are so few adults to teach their young the birdsong that has been happening for so many years. I heard on the news this morning that the Bald eagle population has quadrupled since 2009. Enjoy your trip to the park – I’m sticking with my regular park this weekend as we had about 1 1/2 inches of heavy rain today, high winds and shoreline flooding, so Council Point Park is elevated so the Creek never overflows, so it will be good walking. We have rain off and on this weekend, so have to work around the weather. Stay safe too Sabine!
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Sure, you can send me the link. I’d definitely check it out! I read an article about the bald eagles making a great comeback. We’re watching a new eagle cam since the old one has been abandoned by the regular pair. Take care! 🙋♀️
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I was watching the Decorah, Iowa nesting eagles and their eaglet that was born this week. Mom was feeding her eaglet some fish. It was so tiny. I will send you the eaglet as a separate comment in case it goes to your junk filter.
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It might be the North Nest you’re watching, Linda. I checked back last night and the Decorah Cam we watched last year seems to have been abandoned by last years eagle pair. We’ve found a couple of other ones though that are fun to watch too. I’ll have to check the spam folder for the link! Thanks for sending it. 🙋♀️
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It is the North Nest Sabine. I just went on Explore.org and checked. I’ve not been on that site a few days and the second eaglet hatched on Saturday. You’re welcome … there is another seminar, this time by the National Audubon Society for Wednesday 03/31 at 7:00 p.m. that I am going to watch on Facebook. I sent you the info by e-mail if you want to register by Zoom or to read it about it and just go to Facebook for the live stream.
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I thought it was! We checked this one out today and also one in Redding, Ca. and in Big Bear, Ca.. Thanks for sending the link, Linda. I won’t be able to listen in live, but I imagine I can find it on YouTube later. Have fun attending this seminar!
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If they are going to be on YouTube all the time, I’d prefer that as I’d listen on the weekend since I am late enough getting to WordPress during the week as it is. It sounds good. They had one this afternoon on the Detroit River, including the venue I posted on yesterday, so will look to see if it is online later.
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Here you are Sabine.
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I love how you notice the tiniest details, Sabine.
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Thanks LuAnne! These thrushes are usually quite secretive so I was happy to see this one out in the open and not afraid of me being right there. 🙂
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