Howdy everyone! February is a short month and I am trying my best to make sure we hit our Intrigued monthly quota goal for posts. March is going to get a bit hectic as Linda and I head back out to Arizona for our spring migration. Fortunately, Brad and Jan are heading back from their latest adventure out east and I’m sure there are plenty of stories on their way from this trip as well as their jaunts across the pond. For now, you are stuck with me! Before we get to today’s featured feathered friend, wanted to mention I have finally made it through all the Average Year and my Life List updates. Although, thanks to a late find from Colorado my Life List and 2024 results are now one off – it is inevitable that update efforts get eclipsed, but still feels good to be only a smidgen off of current. As you can tell from the left nav-bar I am officially at 443+1 for the life list and per the Average Year journal, at 244+2 provisionals for this year (link here). Kind of shocking to be over 55% of my life list and 82% of my annual goal and not even to the end of the 2nd month. As they say, life is good. Since I brought up the Life List, thought I would go with a member that was added just last year.
Hit the jump to read more about this rather understated Thrasher.
Here at Intrigued, we have posted on a large number of the Thrasher family over the years. This has included:
The Brown Thrasher (link here)
The Long Billed Thrasher (link here)
The Curve-Billed Thrasher (link here)
The Crissal Thrasher (link here)
…and thanks to Brad’s trip out west, the California Thrasher (link here) (note, Brad also featured the Crissal’s link here). That is quite the list of Thrashers. By my count there are 8 Thrasher members of the Mimidae family. That leaves three unaccounted for, the Bendire’s, LeConte’s and the Sage.
One of those I have never seen (actually 2 as I have not seen the California either), one I do have in the queue and, well, today’s species. Oh, before I go on, the Gray Catbird and Northern Mockingbird are the only other two members of this family and both have already been featured giving us nearly the entire taxonomy.
Place your DraftBirds bets…drum roll..you are looking at the Sage Thrasher. I’ll forego the 4 page required disclaimer about online betting restrictions state by state within the US.
Whenever I think of Thrashers, I immediately jump to their exceptionally large schnauzes. Some straight, some curved, some really curved and all formidable. That assessment may be why it took until last January ..wait, crap, now must refer to that as the January before last (ugh, Father Time hates me). Anyway, our first real encounter with the Sage Thrasher was on our visit to Las Vegas in early 2024. Snow chased us all the way across Arizona so we just bailed and took off to Sin City.
There are always eBird reports of the Sage being found at the Corn Creek Field Station at the entrance to Desert National Wildlife Refuge, yet that check was always missing after our visits. We were just about to call it quits and head up into the Refuge when Merlin alerted to the Sage. Odd, I do not see a large, obnoxiously billed trash-talkin’ bird blasting through the underbrush. Eventually heard a long song, but a continued search of the desert scrub yielded nothing. It must have been comedic gold for this specimen as it was FINALLY spotted sitting in a tree about 50 feet away just looking at me. At first I didn’t believe it, smaller bodied than the other Thrashers I am used to (8-9 inches which is the low end for the other’s listed above which can go over 11″). Cornell is accurate when they likened it more to a Thrush, however, it did have that distinctive pale, yellowish eye.
I nice western species find. Their non-breeding grounds is in the southwest, heavily into Texas and down into New Mexico. They push way up to the northern border during the smoochie season. Pretty odd that we have not encountered the Sage on our many trips to the Rio Grande Valley and for that matter our numerous trips to Vegas. Now that the seal is broken, I’ll probably be seeing it all the time now – especially now that I know that to look for.
How about we get to some quick tidbits on this elusive Thrasher before you get on your way. The Queen of the birding world, their elaborate songs can extend over 20 minutes with interspersed mocks of other species (yikes, just checked and Bohemian Rhapsody is only 6 minutes long… change that reference to Dream Theater – Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence which is an entire album side). Pretty weak on the tidbits Cornell, the only other thing worth noting is they used to be called the Mountain Mockingbird until they noticed the taxonomy differences.
All I have for you today folks. Hope you enjoyed this new entry on the Life List. Maybe someday I’ll get around to that “other” Thrasher, although it has barely been a year hehehe.
Wildlife Intrigued 
I’m like totally thrashed over your stat standings! Great job. It seems like being a lame duck because of your ankle is good for birding. Being tortured in the comfy chair does seem to have its benefits. That Thrasher is one a sassy-looking bird. Keep thrashing around and you will get the “other” Thrasher.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Tim – I’ve been out of the state of Texas for a month now and I am still ranked in the 50s on their top 100 list. I just might have to go back down there and get some more checks (but first we go to Arizona in less than a month). I am sure I am going to get an earful from my surgeon when I see him (was supposed to be Monday, but just got a call they have to cancel it). It is feeling much better now and starting to push it a little more – hoping he clears me for full impact on next visit…fingers crossed. I’ll put on some thrashy music when I am thrashing about for that other Thrasher! Thanks for coming by Tim, appreciate it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ll be passing through your favorite city in NM on your way to AZ, I assume. Put on your Arizona Rainbow Shades, and maybe Las Cruces won’t look quite as bad. And don’t call anyone a pendejo, either: https://youtu.be/AxFxnk4OITs
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha, now that clip brings back memories – my weak high school spanish already informed me that there are better names to call people than pendejos..if you want to live ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a quarterback from Albuquerque playing for one of the Ivy League schools. I’ve heard he’s always dropping F-bombs, pendejos, and other choice local expletives in interviews.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehehe, I am guessing those east coasters have no clue what he’s talking about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice life entry! Congrats!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Donna! One of those situations where it was probably there on all my other visits to that place but didn’t know enough to look for it. We head back there at the end of March so I’ll be able to test that theory. Appreciate you dropping and take care.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This one sure poses just like the other Thrashers I’ve seen. Even before reading the story, I had a pretty good idea which family this was. Congrats on another Life List bird. Jan and I have found a couple +1s for both the annual and life lists on this assignment. Stay tuned for stories. Temps are much nicer here than home, are you sure Accounting won’t let us extend a bit longer?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are spotting the key features of bird families now, you are definitely upping your birding game. Can’t wait to read the new stories when you get back..and Accounting responded with a hard NO when I inquired about extending your trip referring to some “disciplining” they got by you in reference to the Intrigued end of the year party. Sounds like they were paired up with the Legal team ha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He sat right there and posed for you! Great photos of this diminutive thrasher.
My brain did a walk-about, and I landed on an article about making beer from local plants. The author has foraged in his various patches, finding more than 150 plants he could convince to become beer – one of which was California Sage, which can be used in place of hops as a bittering agent. So, your Sage Thrasher might have good reason to hang around the California sage brush!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t you love it when the birds cooperate with you!! Hmmmm, sounds like that author may have a drinking problem ha. Guessing by the yellow eyes and erratic behavir it might have already been in the “Sage Sauce”. I can’t wait to get back out there in early April to see if I can find one again. Hoping it will be easier now that I know what to look for! Take care and appreciate you dropping in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just got to love a poser! Sweet pics, Brian.
LikeLiked by 1 person
DEFINITELY!! It isn’t often you get a specimen that is willing to work it for the camera – as you know well, most of the time in field is spend whipping the glass around just trying to get something in the tin during the microsecond they stop moving. Reminds me of the Monty Python skit with the bird nailed to the perch hehehe. Take care Jerry and appreciate the drop in.
LikeLike
Great photos, Brian! I LOVE their songs. As it happens, I just saw my FOY Sage Thrasher 2 days ago, a little early according to ebird. We are blessed with them each summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Tanja! I can’t wait to get back out to Vegas (on our way there is a couple of weeks) so I can spend more time with this Thrasher. Hoping now that I know what to look for it will take less time to locate and I can spend more time trying to listen for its song (this specimen didn’t say a whole lot). Will also get to introduce my brother Ron to this lifer for him as well since he is going to join us for a couple of days on this trip. Definitely been hitting some featured feathered friends lately that you are familiar with…should be more once I get to the shots taken while we were in Denver late last year. As always, appreciate you coming by and have a great rest of your week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds as though you have an exciting trip coming up!
I have a favor to ask, but, PLEASE, if it’s too much trouble, feel free to tell me. I was wondering if you might have a list of your favorite birding destinations along the Texas Gulf Coast, as well as a list of favorite campgrounds (we would be sleeping in a tent). We are actually considering a trip there this spring. What weeks would be best, do you think, starting in late March? This does not have to be long, I can look up hotspots on Ebird.
If you have any suggestions, maybe you could email them to me:
<removed>
Thank you so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our last trip to AZ was pretty miserable thanks to the snow, so hopefully going later in the year will bring some redemption. Should definitely bring some lifers as their cool Hummingbirds should be about. Glad to provide assistance on your trip to our favorite birding destination – should have something in your inbox. I did take your email out of your comment now that I have it – I don’t want it to be scraped off by bad actors and have them start spamming you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did receive your wonderful lists and destination summaries, Brian, thank you so much. I sent you thank you e-mails as well, hope they arrived.
One of these days I might ask you about your favorite AZ destinations as well. 😊
I hope this year’s trip there will make you happy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Got ’em and you are very welcome! Probably need a few more trips to AZ to get the same level of recommendations, but happy to share any information related AZ or other places we have birded. Packing now to head back out there at the end of the week. Also looking forward to getting out to Las Vegas towards the end of the trip – love that place and this time my brother Ron is going to be able to join us for a weekend there. If you find yourself ever in craptastic central IL I can definitely get you in the right places here as well. Take care.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you again, Brian. I hope you will have a great trip!
LikeLike
One of my favorites! I studied them and other Sagebrush Sea songbirds many years ago in Oregon & Washington. Your second to the last photo shows their personality well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad I could bring you one of your favorites SoyBend. You definitely have more experience with this bird than I do, although having encountered it once now, I have been able to find it several more times on our current trip out west. I do find them (and basically their whole family) quite pretentious ha. Take care and thanks for coming by and joining the conversation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Ruchira, appreciate you dropping by.
LikeLike