Hi --

After a busy morning at Rock Creek Park, DC, we were puttering around the
house when I noticed a white rounded object under our bird feeder, in the
sun. A look with binoculars revealed the round object to be the puffed-up
breast of a Gray-cheeked Thrush which was sunning itself at the edge of the
driveway. The bird had its head cocked to the right to expose all of its
neck to the sun, had its breast feathers completely puffed out, its left
wing spread and its tail fanned. Its bill was slightly gaped and it seemed
to be enjoying its sun-bath! However its eyes were open and it was very
alert.

We actually got the scope on it and enjoyed all the details of its plumage
while it sunned. At one point it flipped around to "do" its right side, and
we could see pale edging on its greater coverts and the faintest hint of
yellow at the gape, a HY bird. Color was a drab earthy brown, bill mostly
horn-colored with just base of lower mandible flesh-yellow, so no features
that implied Bicknell's.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD