Bicknell's Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) - 11Jul2021

This is one of North America's rarest and localized songbirds, preferring to breed only on mountain tops in the northeastern United States and Canada.  The big challenge with these is that although they migrate over much of the eastern seaboard, they are virtually impossible to ID in the field because they look like Gray-cheeked Thrush and they don't usually vocalize when in migration.  Its highly likely that they have been seen regularly in my home state of North Carolina but are misidentified as Gray-cheeked.  So the best way to see these birds is to head to the top of a mountain in June or July when most of the Gray-cheeked are further north and listen for the distinctive song.  I got mine from the top of Old Speck Mountain in Maine.