This shy species is one of the birds which has benefited from Brown-headed Cowbird control in Southern California riparian areas. This subspecies is a member of the Russet-Backed Thrush (Ustulatus Group) of Swainson's Thrushes which breed in the far West. They tend to be more reddish on the upperparts and have less distinct eyerings cf. to populations in the East. C. u. oedicus is paler and grayer above cf. nominate C. u. ustulatus which breeds in coastal Northern California.
This species sings each morning and evening along the creek in my Northern California yard, but I almost never see them except for fleeting glimpses. Digiscoping is usually not a practical way to photograph them.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope 3 | 30X WA | hand-held (no adapter)