A Hermit Thrush In A Dogwood

January 11, 2026

Resting in a Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) that has enjoyed the warmish weather the past few days. But today the temperature fell rather than rising, and there were snow flurries, so it’s looking a bit puffed up against the chill.

They are a bird that forages through leaves around low bushes looking for insects. So remember to leave the leaves! They also enjoy adding berries to their diet. They’ll eat berries that are available during the winter, such as Elderberries, Huckleberries, Holly berries, Multiflora Rose hips, and Poison Ivy berries.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.