Brown Thrasher

   Berry and I were eating oatmeal and fruit for breakfast on the patio and we were greeted by a Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) enjoying the spring morning. He flew into the yard, swooped down at our birdbath then perched on a branch of the large Magnolia tree in the side yard.


   The song of the Brown Thrasher is a series of paired musical phrases. "Ticca, ticca... chirp, chirp... kwa, kwa..." The performance lasted through the entire meal. His breast is covered in short brown stripes. His downcurved beak and his light brown, rufous feathers were diagnostic.

   We have had this same Brown Thrasher nest in our yard four years in a row. He probably likes the fresh water in our birdbaths. But also, I'm thinking, four years ago was when I first planted the grapevines.

Robert

photo courtesy of jpatterson