I first figured this out a couple days ago when I kept hearing a loud, harsh cheep call. It sounded so much like the loud, single-note distress call of a baby chick that I went outside to see if a chick had gotten out of the coop. But the call was coming from up a large pine tree. I saw a bird flitting around and tried to view it through binoculars, but no luck.
Early this morning, just after dawn, the same call sounded near the barn, so I grabbed the binoculars again and stepped outside.
Into my view came the most beautiful showy bird.
I'd never seen an evening grosbeak before, and they're lots prettier than the rather dull entry in my bird identification book implies.
I snuck into the barn and literally took these photos through a knothole (at maximum zoom) so I wouldn't disturb him (which is why they're blurry when cropped).
Nice having new visitors!
We had them come through here two years ago, I was so excited to see them!
ReplyDeleteWe get those little guys here, too. Gorgeous birds.
ReplyDeleteI watched a hilarious face-off at the bird feeder between a blue jay and a chipmunk two days ago. The bird prevailed.
We now have doves visiting here, which is the first time we've had them.
Life abounds.
A. McSp
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYears ago we use to get flocks of them. They would clean out my feeder in one sitting. Then they stopped coming this way, but I did see them up north a little bit, I was very happy to see them.
ReplyDeleteCandy