A big song bird and camellia blooms. . . . . . . . .

A relatively secret bird, the Brown thrasher can be uncooperative in offering

 up its song or the songs of other birds it often mimics. However, when the male does

 let loose, it can display the largest repertoire of any North American bird. . . . .an

 amazing 1,200 songs have been documented!

It usually sings from a perch high in the treetops when hoping to claim a mate, 

and territory. Personally I've only been privy to that amazing concert once, and

 that was several years ago. 

At this time of year, this quite large bird at 11.5 inches in length, stays closer to the

 ground foraging through leaf litter, thrashing its bill from side to side to expose

 spiders and insects - this movement gives it the name 'thrasher'.

Only during winter will it come to feeders, but you can attract it to your garden

with berry-producing plants such as hollies, elderberry, mulberry. . . . . . . . and

of course a water source. A couple of years back a pair nested at eye level in my

 large variegated privet shrub, I loved seeing them closeup.

 Here, my recent visitor tried out two of my back garden baths, and I was able

 to get a few good photos from the window.

Camellia japonica - the Rose of Winter - blooms are profuse this year - I have two

 now quite large bushes in the garden, both this color. Neighbors have beautiful

 pale pink ones - I should get one of those planted too!

Such beautiful markings on the Brown thrasher's chest and wings, plus the gleaming

 yellow eyes. Male and female are similar so not sure which this one is.

If you are within the range of this bird I hope you have them in your garden -

they are fun to watch and perhaps, some day if you're lucky, you'll hear one

 serenading non-stop from a treetop.