Colored to easily blend into wooded surroundings, the lovely Hermit Thrush is a visitor to our area every spring. The thrush family includes our familiar American Robin, and the Hermit Thrush is shaped much the same. Thrushes can sing two notes at once and a springtime forest comes alive with song in large part due to their presence. Field marks include being brown above, grayish white below, smudged spots on its throat, and strongly contrasting reddish tail. Behavior includes flicking its wings and slowly raising and lowering its tail. Hermit Thrushes flood our cemeteries and parks during migration and while they are seen reliably at this time of year, they are named after their generally reclusive nature. Photo by Steve Fisher.