Quebec thrushes (part 5) (1 Viewer)

[Widus]

Hi,
These are all the pictures I took from this bird seen in Tadoussac (Quebec, Canada) May 27. The tail is not reddish. The bill is quite thin and pointed. Flanks and face are greyish. Based on this, I am inclined to think that the bird is a Gray-cheeked Thrush. Am I right? Am I wrong?

 

[tom baxter]

I thought that the Buffy median coverts would have made this bird a 1st cy bird. The confusing part is that I would have thought there wouldn’t be any thrushes with Buffy median coverts at this time of year, but I’m not an expert on that. That being said,. Definitely Swainson’s/Gray-cheeked but I’d feel pretty comfortable to agree with you on Gray-cheeked.

 

[Widus]

Great. Thanks.

 

[KenM]

Might Swainson's not be a better candidate, for prominent eye-ring and range at this time?

Cheers

 

[birdmeister]

Might Swainson's not be a better candidate, for prominent eye-ring and range at this time?

Cheers

Swainson's for me, too. Gray-cheeked's face is much different than Swainson's. I will say that th buff coloring on this bird is not as extensive as on some Swainson's, but the eye-ring says Swainson's for sure.

 

[Widus]

Well so much for my first grey-checked then |=(|

 

[Widus]

The bill seems quite thin for a Swainson's, doesn't it? What about the bird being a dark-tailed Hermit (if such variant exists)?

 

[tom baxter]

Swainson's for me, too. Gray-cheeked's face is much different than Swainson's. I will say that th buff coloring on this bird is not as extensive as on some Swainson's, but the eye-ring says Swainson's for sure.

If this is a hatch year the eye ring may not problematic for Gray-cheeked. See here: http://www.amazilia.net/images/Birds/Thrushes/Inhand_Catharus/Inhand_Catharus.htm

Could be Swainson’s but I think if anything the auriculars are closer to Gray-cheeked. To be clear I’m not sure but I don’t think it is as simple as the eye ring.

I don’t know about the range it didn’t occur to me that Gray-cheeked may not be there

 

[Widus]

Thanks Tom for the useful site depicting in-hand US thrushes.
I cannot see any good fit of my bird with the pictures provided for Swainson's on this site. It is also true that none of the depicted Gray-cheeked has such an obvious eye-ring but the other features: auriculars (as you mentioned), and also color tone, bill shape fit Gray-cheeked quite well, don't they?
I mentioned a dark-tailed Hermit to be a bit provocative. Can we rule out all the other thrushes but Swainson's and Gray-cheeked?