Just got back from a quick trip to New York to seek the Bicknell's Thrush. Thanks to Dan Baxter, Peter Saenger, Roger Heinz, Joe Byrne, and Barbara Volke for their help in planning the trip. Special thanks to Marty Michener for his sage advice and .wav file of the bird's call.

I got to Lake Placid in one day of really hard driving (750 miles) and stayed at the Ramada Inn. I was at the gate to the toll road up Whiteface Mountain at 8:30 am on June 2. The gate didn't open until 9:05 but it was worth the wait.

The weather report was perfect - winds 0-10 mph, sunny and 40 degrees F. By 10:00 I had driven to the top, parked and taken the elevator to the summit. I started down the trail east from the summit and was in perfect Bicknell's Thrush habitat within a few minutes. I heard two calling and meandered off the trail for about 20 yards. One of the birds was apparently disturbed by my passage and buzzed me within a couple of feet of my head and lit in a "tree" less than 10 feet away. I got a very good look before it dropped.

Satisfied, I walked the rest of the way (about 1/4 mile) to the junction of the trail and the approach road and walked back along the road to the Jeep. Not a long walk, but the trail is moderately difficult.

The plan called for continuing on to Mt. Mansfield in Vermont if I failed at Whiteface and, if Mt. Mansfield failed, checking out several other locations in the White Mountains of NH and the Adirondacks of NY. Fortunately, this wasn't necessary and I was able to start home by noon and pulled in, after an overnight stay in Erie, PA, to home before three this afternoon.

For those who don't have access to Marty's .wav file, you can find the Bicknell's Thrush call on the tape that accompanied the National Geographic Society Field Guide (1st edition). It is the last example of the Grey-cheeked Thrush.

Thanks to all of you who helped with my continuing quest to see all of the Class 1, 2, and 3 birds in the ABA area. The next effort will be for the Himalayan Snowcock in the Ruby Mts. of Nevada in August. I'll be sure to let you know how it works out.