Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Veery
Scientific name:	Catharus fuscenscens
Date:	1 Jun 2025
Time:	1508
Length of time observed:	4 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Unknown
Sex:	Unconfirmed, likely male
Location:	South Willow Canyon
County:	Tooele
Latilong:	40�'19.0"N 112�'04.0"W
Elevation:	7,125ft
Distance to bird:	Initial visual 30 feet. Audio day 1: 500ft. Audio day two: abt 75ft
Optical equipment:	NA. Directional microphone used both days
Weather:	Day 1: Partly cloudy, gusts up to 10mph. Day 2: Sunny, gusts up to 10mph
Light Conditions:	Full sun at time of visual
Description: Size of bird:	small thrush
(Description:) Basic Shape:	thrush-like
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Very warm, near orange back. White breast
(Description:) Bill Type:	Too far to get solid visual.
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Driving back down canyon slowly with windows down, I rounded the corner from the first switchback and heard a flute-like thrush song. I immediately noted it did not sound like a hermit or Swainson's thrush song and grabbed my microphone. I located the bird at the base of the first switchback while driving. I only glimpsed the bird as it flew from its perch to the south, revealing very bright, nearly orange back and white underside. I parked at the base of the first switchback and began recording and listening for the bird. I heard a repeating, buzzy, descending, lower-pitched call which I again, did not recognize. I used Merlin to attempt to identify the song, which took awhile but eventually landed on veery as an ID. I listened to the bird vocalize for a couple minutes before it ceased vocalization. I waited for about 15 minutes for it to vocalize again but never heard anything after that. (eBird audio from 1 Jun2025) I returned to the site the next day (2 Jun 2025) and met up with James Hoffman, who claimed they had found the bird up in the Loop Campground at site 9. He informed me he also picked up veery on his Merlin app and saw a bird fly from the direction of the bird in question into a bush. James photographed that bird and showed me, which appeared to be a Swainson's thrush with notable bright edges to tertials and primaries. The bird was in shadow but did not seem to align with the shade of bird I saw yesterday. We headed up the canyon to search for the bird. On the way up we ran into David Wheeler and Lauri Taylor and alerted them to the location where James detected the bird. James and I arrived at the Loop Campground and was informed by Dave and Lauri they had a very warm-toned thrush fly out while driving up the right side of the Loop near campground entrance. We searched the campground area and heard the bird vocalizing near the same campsite. Everyone's Merlin detected veery. With this time being much closer to bird in question, far better audio was obtained. After reviewing all calls and songs for all subspecies of hermit thrush and Swainson's thrush, none fit this bird's vocalizations. Harsh, descending call repeating steadily every few seconds. Everyone observed the call for several minutes before the bird stopped. Bird never re-vocalized after that. Collaborated with the other birders and was advised to make a submission here. (eBird audio from 2 Jun 2025)
Song or call & method of delivery:	Song initially heard day one. 'veer' call heard both days. Calls did not emanate from canopy.
Behavior:	Skulky. Immediately took flight once my car came into its view. Bird was perched on a dead branch overhanging road approximately 10 feet above road. Repeated same vocalization consistently from unseen locations. On the second day bird did not appear to be vocalizing from treetops.
Habitat:	Mixed pine/aspen forest. Bird was first seen on day one where the springs first form creek.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Elimination: Hermit thrush: song did not appear as 'garbled' as any HETH subspecies. Reviewed songs of all from Macauley library after returning home on day one. Alarm 'weeh' call is ascending, not descending. Swainson's thrush: song I heard did not end on an up note. Closest call would be the churr call, which involves a low-to-high 'whit' type vocalization before descending part. Descending part varies too much. Wood thrush: calls are shorter and have a higher harmonic which did not appear to be present with bird in question. Length of each vocalization, harmonics, and sonogram all seem to support veery
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Unfamiliar with veery. Very familiar with HETH and decent with SWTH
References consulted:	Max Malmquist, James Hoffman, Lauri Taylor, David Wheeler. Merlin app, Sibley app, eBird, Macauley Library, Birds of the World by Cornell
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Patrick McAtee
Observer's address:	247 S 360 W Tooele, UT 84074
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	All previously listed birders in description. [James Hoffman, David Wheeler, Lauri Taylor]
Date prepared:	2 Jun 2025
Additional material:	Tape - Audio submitted via eBird, links below
Additional comments:	https://ebird.org/checklist/S245772133 https://ebird.org/checklist/S246155954