[Birdtalk] Hermit Thrushes at Beus Park

[Kristin Purdy]

Tim's and Lu's posts with Hermit Thrushes highlighted at Garr Ranch/Davis County and along the San Juan River east of Bluff/San Juan County, respectively, nudged me into posting this belated report of the species at Beus Park in Ogden, Weber County. Hermit Thrushes continue to winter in the brush and fruit trees around the pond. On Saturday, December 16, my Christmas count team logged six Hermit Thrushes at Beus. We saw them in the brush along the eastern shore and at the southwest corner on the border of Beus and Forest Green Park.  

I've seen Hermit Thrushes there since about Halloween. They've also ranged from the east shore east across the path to the base of the slope where the Winter Wren hung out until late November and in the brush and oak south of the path from the Wasatch Audubon feeder. 

A good way to find them is to listen for their "chope-chope" call notes. The sound is similar to the chucking of Red-winged Blackbirds (also at Beus, so be careful), but not as harsh and somewhat muted. The thrushes tend to be very responsive to pishing and I first began to see them when I occasionally pished in the Winter Wren(s). 

Beus Park is rich in fruit trees, especially along the south side of the path (olives) and west border with Forest Green Park (olives, Mountain Ash, hawthorne shrubs, and apples) and that may be the enduring location for them across the winter.

Beus Park is located about a half mile east of Harrison Blvd (SR-203) on 42nd Street in Ogden. 

Kris
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