A Hermit Thrush Miracle

Three days ago I was working on another project in my kitchen (adding shelves and repainting my pantry) when I heard a loud and sickening thud that came from my dining room window. I immediately knew that a bird had flown into the window. Window strikes are rare for me (the last one I remember was at least two years ago – a starling that recovered and flew off within seconds of me getting to it) but that sound is unmistakable.

I went outside and found the bird beneath the window, in the dead space between my deck and the side of my house. It was on its back with its eyes closed and its legs twitching, appearing to be in its death throes. With my bad back I couldn’t get to it but neighbor Shane and his mother were visiting on Shane’s patio so I called them over and asked Shane to retrieve the bird, which he did.

He placed the bird in the only safe and confined space available, an old planting tray that I’d apparently used in a painting project at some point. I was surprised and encouraged that it could stand, but it could only do so while squatting down and using its spread tail for support.

It appeared to be a thrush of some kind but at first I wasn’t sure what species it was.

But eventually, based on its rusty-red tail and rump, I decided it was a Hermit Thrush – a species I’ve never seen in my yard before and only photographed once, years ago.

As the three of us stood there and watched the bird, it showed no immediate signs of recovery so I was beginning to consider my options – if it survived for a little longer. I was trying to decide which bird/wildlife center I could take it to when, with no warning, it took off, circled around and came back, and then landed about 20 feet away from us at the base of one of my large ornamental grasses. For the first time, I was hopeful.

Maybe two minutes later it took off and was gone for good.

Miracles happen. Before it took off I’d have given it virtually no chance of survival, at least not without professional intervention.

Ron

Notes:

• This Hermit Thrush was apparently migrating. This fall I’ve getting more unusual migrators in my neighborhood and yard than usual. Earlier this week, neighbor Shane had a Red-breasted Nuthatch at his feeder, which is highly unusual.
• As I mentioned, bird strikes have never been much of a problem for me but if that tide is turning I’ll have to consider placing markers of some kind on my windows.