Early Morning Surprise

We were up around 5:30, reading the paper at 6 AM. It was still pretty dim outdoors. I heard a sort of squeaky sound outside, and thought it sounded vaguely like a Varied Thrush's call. I looked out the back door, and there sat a Varied Thrush on a spruce branch only about 6 feet away, he flew towards the birdbath and hid there for a moment. Then we saw another VT hopping down the trail. I kept hearing the little whistley sound they make, it was not quite the classic "telephone" ring sound you hear, but related. Absolutely gorgeous birds! They are so elusive.