Varied Thrush

Status Nine records. The first provincial record was a male seen on 26 October 1965 by Eileen Cardoza in Digby. On 29 October 1968 another male was seen briefly on Sable Island by Christel and Norman Bell, and another was reported there by several observers during October 1971. One appeared on 12 January 1977 at the birdfeeder of John Cliffe at South Maitland, Hants County, and was observed and photographed by many birders in following weeks. Since then, four more winter visitors have appeared: on 5 February 1977 at North Range, Digby County; 21 January 1978 at Liverpool; 18 February 1978 at Middleton; and 30 December 1978 at Greenwich, Kings County; most stayed at least a few days to be seen by more than one observer. An unprecedented report is of one that spent part of July 1979 in an area of extensive lawns and gardens around the property of the Scott Killams in Yarmouth.

Remarks This thrush of the western mountains is almost regular as a fall-winter vagrant in a "corridor" to the east coast across southern Canada and the northern United States. It is close in size to the American Robin and the colour of its breast is similar, but otherwise its plumage is entirely different, with bright orange eye lines and wing bars and, in males, a dark breast band.