Hermie Becomes a Winter Fixture

Two winters ago I had the astonished pleasure to see a Hermit Thrush lurking about the main feeder station. It came in January of '08. Last winter, the thrush again showed up in January but developed considerable skills working the suet feeder. And this year... it arrived in late November and promptly showed off those retained skills. Now "Hermie" comes by fairly regularly, albeit not every day, and gets its piece of suet action. It's very plain that we have the same bird and one with a pretty decent memory for acquired tricks. The Thrush is a very attractive bird and one with a lovely song, which of course I don't get to hear. Come spring this one will leave us for its breeding grounds. I imagine it won't be too many years before Hermie passes on. And then... will this clever bird be replaced by another? or will this be a brief exciting interlude in the bird feeding adventure?