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| Pine Siskin -- Thank you friends! |
I used a gift card my sons gave me at Christmas to purchase sunflower seed -- and the birdfeeders are now brimming with these nutritious nuggets of protein. It's so cold and damp right now, the birds are visiting in abundance, which is so enjoyable to see out my front window in the early mornings.
Although this little girl (I'm assuming it's a female,) is neither colorful or especially flamboyant, it is the first time I've seen her and her small accompanying flock at the feeders.
It looks like a sparrow, but also has the characteristics of a finch (although the bill is not quite right.) Therefore, I'm stumped.
Can any of my bird experts out there help me to identify this new visitor?
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I'm not a bird expert. Finches are generally smaller than the sparrows though and there are many different kinds of sparrows. No idea where my birder book has gone.
ReplyDeleteI have often wonder if there aren't "mixed marriages" in the small bird family... A point to ponder, hmm.
Have a great day!
Looks like a Finch to me, surprised there isn't much color though . . . This is the second unidentified bird today . . . I hope someone comes to the rescue . . .
ReplyDeleteI'm lousy at this, I would have just said sparrow. I looked around a little bit, have you considered a Smith's longspur, or longspur of some type?
ReplyDeleteI have to join the 'not an expert' club but I CAN say how much I enjoyed the photos. Such lovely little creatures.
ReplyDeleteIm not really up on bird species but that little guy is just the sweetest. Diggin' the shallow DOF aswell, very well executed
ReplyDeleteShaun
Definitely reminds me of a finch, not a sparrow, however, the lack of any color whatsoever has me stumped.
ReplyDeleteA female Pine Siskin?... the beak was not finch-like.
ReplyDeleteShe is sweet and beautiful. I lean to the finch side too.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy, I believe it is a Female Purple Finch.....so cute....Love watching the birds at the feeders.......Blessings Francine
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no knowledge about birds, but it´s pretty! :-)
ReplyDeleteI love keeping my feeders full and watching too.. well, I'm stumped too, because you already guessed my two cents worth, finch/sparrow. I'm leaning more towards a finch though... thanks for the email... I'm pondering.
ReplyDeleteoh, i see them all the time. such cuties. hope you find out what she is? i have really enjoyed my feeder again. ( :
ReplyDeleteI would have guessed a sparrow at first glance. I'm not an expert though, so can't help you, Nancy. I do love the photo. As always, well done. I think you need to consider creating a calendar using your bird photos. They really are first class.
ReplyDeleteThose LBJ's (little brown jobs) are hard to identify. It's always nice to see a new bird at the feeder!
ReplyDeleteNice shot! I'm guessing a sparrow??
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie! I hope someone will identify it for you. I put up a feeder here in Nevada and I'm having to learn what birds are hitting the feeder as I'm unfamiliar with the birds out here. I do know there are LOTS of them and it's been fun to watch them devour the seeds!
ReplyDeleteI believe you have a Pine Siskin!
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy I have no idea but we have flocks of them around here I had always thought they were just sparrows but I am not a bird expert. I do love the photo.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day inside; it is warm and sunny with blowing snow and high winds here.. Debating if we should head out to get milk etc. Probably not:) Hug B.
I have no idea, but it doesn't really matter. It's one of the little critters on this earth that makes us feel good with their twitters in the early morning.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy,
ReplyDeletePrimitive Stars is correct...it is a female purple finch or it could be a female house finch. They look almost identical.
There are some great bird identification sites online that you can look up. Some even have audio clips of their calls!
Kerri -- after careful examination, I believe you are correct. Have never seen a Pine Siskin here. Excited!
ReplyDeleteI just love a good mystery. It sounds like your blogging friends have solved it for you.
ReplyDeleteyup. pine siskin. have seen them here this week, too!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a pine siskin, it's a very pretty little bird.
ReplyDeleteNow that "we" have solved the mystery, I will just say, what a cutie. Watching the birdies is my very most favorite thing to do!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a female goldfinch to me....maybe immature.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a Pine Siskin.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Siskin/id
You already have lots of identifications, but I too agree its a pine Siskin, female. She's beautiful!
ReplyDeletei second ms. a, i'd just have said sparrow.
ReplyDeleteloved seeing this beautiful little bird...i've never seen a pine siskin before.
xx
Glad the bird bloggers can identify it. I've never even hear of a pine siskin. Anyway it's a little cutie!
ReplyDeleteA Pine Siskin huh?? I think I have seen these flying around here, but I thought they were just little sparrows. Have fun watching. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI love that you used a gift card to buy bird food. It makes me smile at your gentle spirit :-) I used my gift card to I received to Target for running bras - practical at least.
ReplyDeletemy guess would have been sparrow but i don't really know birds...looks like a sparrow to me...i know it's not a sea gull :D
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy - as you requested - I have just loaded your blog into my Grow Your Blog party -- so you are all set -- latest updates are on my blog -- see you on the 19th
ReplyDeleteVicki
What a sweet little bird. Unfortunately I know next to nothing about bird identification so can't help you there. Hopefully someone else knows!
ReplyDeleteI say sparrow but don't know with veracity.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the bird experts were able to help with the identification! What a sweet little bird! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Pine Siskins are great feeders birds. I love to hear their sounds too. I am glad you put your feeder out, they need the food in the winter months. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie!
ReplyDeleteWell it's sweet what ever it is
ReplyDeleteThis is a great shot! It's been I.D.'d but I would have guessed a sparrow...a New Jersey sparrow that came over to visit you!
ReplyDeleteI would have guessed sparrow. I've never heard of a pine siskin! I have a mystery bird on my blog right now. I wish sites would post images of females as well as males!
ReplyDeleteMy guess would be a Finch as well...
ReplyDeletePine Siskens only occasionally visit me here in Arkansas. It has been several years since they have been here, but this year I have been having flocks of them and they are devouring my thistle seed.
ReplyDeleteAn Arkies Musings
I just had to chuckle because I had an almost identical post with this bird I knew wasn't a sparrow but looks kind of like a finch. Of course your picture is much more artistic. It must be unusual for them to be in both of our areas.
ReplyDelete