Morning Surprise at my Feeder
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
I looked out my window this morning and found this Rose-breasted Grosbeak (CHECK) trying to get seeds from my thistle feeder! “Hey Mr Grosbeak . . . your bill is too large for those little thistle holes!! Just look at how the Goldfinch is able to get the seeds!! They have much smaller bills than you do”! We had a frost last night and birds very busy around the feeders! I couldn’t get the sunflowers into the feeders quick enough!!!
My Thistle Feeders!
American Goldfinch
White-breasted Nuthatch on my roof!
White-throated Sparrow
The White-throated Sparrow is helping me with some better reception!!
Purple Finch
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I love all the photos – it was nice to get my “bird fix” today on your site!
27 April 2008 at 7:20 pm
OOooooooo great photos. I still haven’t seen a purple finch this year. whine…
27 April 2008 at 7:38 pm
Still waiting on the Rose-breasted to arrive in our part of the state. Pretty pretty purply finch! The colors on the males this spring have been so vibrant!
27 April 2008 at 7:43 pm
Beautiful photos! I especially like the rose-breasted grosbeak; what a pretty bird. Your purple finch is much more … well, “purpler” and whiter than the ones we see here in southeastern PA. And I just love when the goldfinches turn gold again. Thanks for posting these!
27 April 2008 at 7:50 pm
Awesome photo of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. That’s one I really want to see in person. Goldfinches are just about as striking as a bird can be. Sometimes I’ll get a Purple Finch at my feeders but it isn’t often. I get mostly House Finches but they are adorable.
27 April 2008 at 8:38 pm
Fabulous pictures!
27 April 2008 at 9:46 pm
@ Shelley – thanks and glad you got your fix! LOL
@ Lisa – thanks and my feeder is full of them right now!
@ Zen – thanks and should be there soon! I love all the colors this time of the year!
@ Laura – thanks and I was very lucky with that shot! Thanks and I guess its purple was apparent with this bird!
@ Linda – Keep your eyes open . . . I am very sure you might come across one on Isle!
@ NatureShutterbug – thanks
27 April 2008 at 9:48 pm
I just had my first purple finch of the year, but I’m jealous about the rose-breasted grosbeak.
27 April 2008 at 9:50 pm
Hi Tom! Remember me? LOL!
Your photos are the best! I had a male Grosbeak last spring, so I’m looking for him every day. A stunning bird. The male Goldfinch is showing signs of spring up there. Finally!
27 April 2008 at 10:04 pm
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is one of the prettiest birds I’ve ever seen! Gorgeous photos, as always. 🙂
27 April 2008 at 10:06 pm
Hey Tom isn’t this exciting seeing all the birds come back.
My friend Michele emailed me this morning with a photo of a Grosbeak. I knew it would not be long before my orioles would be back and sure enough they came this afternoon.
Love all the pictures. I want to see a purple finch some day.
28 April 2008 at 12:04 am
These are wonderful! Love your blog. Thanks!
28 April 2008 at 2:31 am
Oh! At bird banding Saturday with Scott Stoleson and company, we were just remarking that no one had seen a Rose-breasted Grosbeak yet this spring! Yeah! You saw one!
28 April 2008 at 6:09 am
Very cool, Tom!
28 April 2008 at 6:40 am
Darn! I am still waiting for my Rose-breasted Grosbeaks to show up here and they are already up there with you Tom. Beautiful birdies!
28 April 2008 at 6:56 am
the purple finch is my favorite! I never realized how colorful birds can be until I started visiting you blog. You see them in the zoo, but never in real life (Oh the city girl in me is showing through isn’t it! LOL!)
28 April 2008 at 7:13 am
Great photos of the birds! We had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak several weeks ago but she only stayed a few days. Maybe she’s at your feeder.
28 April 2008 at 8:50 am
Great photos Tom! What a nice way to start your day!
28 April 2008 at 9:30 am
Fabulous shots! I have only seen a Rose-breasted Grosbeak one time, and it was last year, first week of May. I hope I see one (or more) again this year.
I spotted a Green Heron yesterday at a marshland area that I visit. My first one of those, too! I’ve posted him on my blog today.
28 April 2008 at 10:18 am
Gorgeous grosbeak – I’ve still never seen a grosbeak! This is a beautiful shot of this bird. Lots of good bird pictures.
28 April 2008 at 10:57 am
Those are great shots! Their eyes are so clear. I still have so much trouble getting the eyes bright and clear in my photographs.
28 April 2008 at 12:15 pm
Those are amazing shots. The clarity and colors are great.
28 April 2008 at 12:17 pm
@ Jan – Thanks and I was happy to see it!
@ Mary – How could I forget you! 🙂 Thanks and spring is here! Well it is getting colder this week but still nice!
@ Heather – thanks and you are too kind!
@ Toni- Thanks and sure is exciting seeing all the birds! I have yet to see my first Oriole!
@ Shelly – thanks
@ Jen – it is that time that they show up! Many other things I need to be seeing that I have not yet!
@ Pam – thanks
@ Jayne – thanks and you should see them soon!
@ Sherry – thanks and the birds are very colorful! Look closely and I am sure you will see color in them even in the city!
@ Kerri – thanks and hope you find another one here this year! Congrats on the Green Heron . . . mine should return here soon!
@ Marty – thanks and you have never seen one? Whenever you decide on a road trip . . I can get you some!
@ Robin – thanks and eyes are not easy! Many of mine don’t have that but it is nice when I do get lucky enough!
@ Tomek – thanks and I appreciate your kind words!
28 April 2008 at 12:56 pm
Oh Mon@rch, big sigh from me over your RB Grosbeak. What a handsome guy!
How about that “bling” on the nuthatch’s ankle? Is that one of yours?
28 April 2008 at 2:31 pm
Such lovely birds, as usual. I love the one on your antenna. *L*
28 April 2008 at 4:17 pm
Beautiful capture Tom, I saw one of these once at my feeder but he didn’t stick around long, way to go !!
28 April 2008 at 5:21 pm
I swear I have purple finches at my feeders but everytime I try and ID, I’m wrong. :o/
Your birds are beautiful.
28 April 2008 at 9:39 pm
Oh, Monarch – to have such beauties visit one of my feeders – they would all be lifers (except for the Am Goldfinch). And such a variety of color!
29 April 2008 at 1:22 am
Glad that white throats helping with your reception 😉
The Grosbeak sure is a beauty!
29 April 2008 at 5:58 am
@ RuthieJ – thanks and very handsome!
@ Lana – thanks and maybe better reception I am getting from it! Many birds like singing from there!
@ Bernie – thanks and they move around fast!
@ Mary – maybe at times you do get some! We don’t get house finch where I am at! My mom gets them tough!
@ Mary C- Thanks and I hope you get to see many of these!
@ Marg – thanks and it sure is!
29 April 2008 at 7:15 am
A breathtaking shot of the Rose-breasted grosbeak! Wish they would visit me!!
29 April 2008 at 10:39 am
gorgeous shots! I’d love to get a visit from a rose breasted grosbeak. Without question when any grosbeak visits me I consider it a good day! This is a group of really beautiful shots Tom. I hope your blushing from such a successful photo-shoot!!! Gorgeous!!!
29 April 2008 at 5:42 pm
@ Bird Girl – thanks and maybe they will!
@ aullori – thanks and lucky the picture worked out!
29 April 2008 at 7:49 pm
Stunning photos! I’m a big fan of finches and grosbeaks myself.
29 April 2008 at 10:51 pm
I want surprises like that! 🙂
1 May 2008 at 2:10 pm
What lovely photos, and how lucky are you to have such a colorful assortment of feeder birds? The Nuthatch photo in particular is just great!
2 May 2008 at 10:13 am
OMG! I wanna come to your house. 😀
2 May 2008 at 3:34 pm
I am blown away every time I come look at your birds. I swear all I ever see are sparrows and nuthatches – not that I don’t like them, but I haven’t even had my finches come back yet . . . thanks for sharing yours!
4 May 2008 at 2:18 pm