One of the foreign guests this autumn is the North American Hermit Thrush, that is now being spotted here for the13th time. It is the most common vagrant in Iceland of the Catharus Thrushes.

The Hermit Thrush was spotted in Hallskot, in the Nature Reserve Flói. It is not easy to spot it as it prefers to hide in the thickest trees and shrubs, and under them.  The Hermit Thrush is very common in North America and a has big distribution range.

A Blackpool Warbler was also spotted in Hallskot in the end of September. So Hallskot is certainly an interesting birding spot.

This autumn two other North American Catharus Thrushes have been seen in Iceland, two Swainson’s Thrushes in Hornafjörður, Southeast Iceland, and a Gray-cheeked Thrush in Ölfus, Southwest Iceland.

The Hermit Thrush, a very rare American vagrant, was spotted in Iceland this week by Lake Thingvallavatn. This is the12th time that a Hermit Thrush is seen in Iceland. It breeds in North America, as northerly as Alaska and Canada. It winters in South America or the southern states of USA – so this poor little guy is very far from home.

The Hermit Thrush lives in woodlands and is often seen in the undergrowth, foraging in leaves and foliage looking for food. It is not a garden bird and is almost never seen at feeders. It might come into gardens in winter to look for berries.  – So we are probably not going  to see one in our garden.