…but if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need.

Such as a Varied Thrush, such as a life bird.

On Saturday, October 15. I returned from America’s Walk for Diabetes early in the afternoon with good intentions of cleaning house. A quick check of my e-mail, though, turned up a report of a female Black-throated Blue Warbler in Tower Grove Park that morning. A cluttered house will still be there the next day; a bird likely won’t. I sped to the park as soon as I forwarded the message.

The bird garden was fairly birdy (see list at the end of this post), but I didn’t see the Black-throated Blue, which has been a nemesis bird for me this year. The only one I’ve ever seen was a male I found on September 9, 2001, and I’ve been especially keen to see a female.

I walked around the bird garden for about an hour, accompanied by a hungry Orange-crowned Warbler that was completely unconcerned about my activities. At 2:30, while I was standing just inside the south side of the garden, facing it, in front of the low-growing evergreens, a movement in bare branches caught my eye. Only an orangeish supercilium and a dark eye were visible. I was momentarily puzzled and trying to make sense of the field mark when the bird moved slightly, bringing into view what could only be a thrush’s bill. As the bird flew, I realized that I had just seen a small part of a Varied Thrush.

It was a very unsatisfying glimpse of a life bird.

It took roughly 30 minutes of searching before I refound the bird, within a few feet of where I had first seen it. And what a great look. The thrush was in the open with its right side facing me in perfect field-guide view for a few seconds before it flew. Orange eyebrow on gray background, plaid-patterned wing—what a beauty it was!

After searching briefly in hope of another look, I drove home to make a phone call (the cell phone was in the other car—that won’t happen again!) and post to mobirds. Chuck, who had just come in from running errands, was caught up in my enthusiam and went with me when I returned to TGP for just one more look.

Several local birders were scattered around the bird garden when I arrived. The thrush cooperated, and all but two people (who came a little later) got good looks at it.

It was an excellent day.

The (partial) list [updated 10/21/05]

• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• House Wren
• Winter Wren
• Carolina Wren
• Hermit Thrush
• Wood Thrush
• American Robin
• Varied Thrush
• Orange-crowned Warbler
• Magnolia Warbler
• Ovenbird
• Eastern Towhee
• Chipping Sparrow
• White-throated Sparrow
• Fox Sparrow – 2
• Common Grackle