I've had a new visitor in the back yard at home. This handsome Brown Thrasher has been in the lilac hedge and around the back feeding station for almost two weeks. He is the first thrasher that I've seen in my home yard in the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities. I've had a wonderful opportunity to watch his feeding behavior. He runs quickly back and forth on the ground, fluttering his wings, then turns quickly and scans the ground behind himself (thrashing... thrasher!) checking for disturbed insects.
He uses his long, curved bill to noisily flip over rocks and leaves.
He has spent A LOT of time stuffing himself with suet.
I feed mealworms in the cups of this jelly feeder. It took him only a few minutes to find the mealworms after I put some out and he empties the feeder whenever I fill it!
It's been fun watching the thrasher interact with the gray squirrels. Just after the photo above, they had a face-off. After a few seconds and lots of squirrel chatter, the thrasher charged the squirrel and ran it off! GO THRASHER!! Stay as long as you like.
6 comments:
These are beautiful pics, Lynne!
I love thrashers, but don't get them at home. There's lots of them at Sandy Hook and they love to skulk!
Thanks Laura-
I have only seen thrashers in rural areas singing, T'd up in tall brush. This one has been a delight to watch- no singing though, but it does make a chink sound a little deeper than a cardinal. I suppose singing season is over.
Great photos of your thrasher! I loved reading your info about him, especially where he chased the squirrel away. Go thrasher! What a bird!
Thanks Pam-
You have to appreciate any critter that will take on a squirrel!
Wow wonderful thrasher photos. I have been chasing a thrush around all day but only got some blurry brown something with a lot of moving branches in front of it.
Thanks for sharing
Thank YOU Endment. That's a very flattering compliment coming from you!
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