Evening Grosbeaks in October.....Early Winter Warning?

[Gary Fairhead]

Terrible weather today and I did not go out until the sun showed up mid afternoon. I was in my yard doing some work and at one point glanced over at a large branch I have set up as a perch near a feeder. There they were...two Evening Grosbeaks...just sitting on the perch. I got a half dozen shots and then they took off....This is not a bird i have seen in my yard...ever...and there were no reported sightings of these birds in my area closer than Algonquin Park last Winter. I should probably be reporting the sighting to the OFN who track bitd sightings in Ontario...Anyway....thats another new bird for my yard this year :D

The first is a 50% crop and the second is a 65-70% crop...also cloned/patched out some oof branches in the second image...Now I am getting excited for the possibility of good finches s this Winter...last year was a bust becaise of bumper crops of pine cones and other tree nuts up north...this year promises to be a bit better:D

Canon 30D, 400 F5.6 ..Hand held with help of elbow on picnic table in sitting position:D ISO 320, F7.1 and 1/320 sec

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/New%20Birds/EGB.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/New%20Birds/Done.jpg

[canonloader]

Amazing color in the bird. Great catches Gary. I was just reading about this bird in my books today and here they are. :)

[busbyea]

Very nice for you have these show up in your yard. :evil:
Beautiful they are; very colorful.

Harbinger of an early winter...I hope not..I think? ;) So many good species come our way during the winter.

I read reports of a possible southerly flow of more finches this year due to a poorer cone production in some areas.

[hTr]

Nicely Captured Gary

[bromm]

Very nice Gary, great colors and details, I cant recall ever seeing these in person yet.:D

[Stephen Stephen]

Well done Gary. I've never seen these birds in my area of Ottawa. Perhaps their appearance in your yard means that this may be my lucky winter! ;)

[pttenn]

Nice shots! I'd love to see this one.
Karen

[Alex Paul]

Both sweet shots Gary :) :)

[csquared63]

Very nice, Gary. Send a few down here! I just paid $23.99 for a 50lb. bag of black oil sunflower seeds. What happened to $15.99?! I've only seen Evening Grobeaks once, years ago at a local Audubon center.

[Gary Fairhead]

Well done Gary. I've never seen these birds in my area of Ottawa. Perhaps their appearance in your yard means that this may be my lucky winter! ;)

Thanks Stephen and thats what I am hoping as well ...that if a couple are here already and sitting by a feeder that perhaps we can will a few more in the coming months.

csquared63Very nice, Gary. Send a few down here! I just paid $23.99 for a 50lb. bag of black oil sunflower seeds. What happened to $15.99?! I've only seen Evening Grobeaks once, years ago at a local Audubon center.

Thanks Carl and I hear you on the price of seed. Some places charge almost double what other stores charge and 50lbs sounds like a lot but I know with 3 feeders in my yard going all winter that much seed won't last. My niger feeders pretty well go dormant though unless Pine Siskins or Redpols show up and none did last year:cry:


Thnaks aslo to Mitch, Ted, gary, Trevor, Karen and Alex for taking the time:D

[downywp]

The most beautiful North American finches and 2 great shots, very sharp for hand held... Good thing you hand the camera handy while doing the yard work!:)

[EdV]

Beautiful bird, well captured Gary. Very nice!

[Wayne Wood]

Awesome captures Gary , having spoken to you about this bird a few times I know how excited you must have been to have them in your yard , I think it will be a good year for winter birds here in our area ,,, hopefully some Pine Grosbeaks will appear here as well at least that's what I'm Pining for :lol::lol:

[Blackburnian]

Very nice Pics and great news Garry!

Love these!

PS: You have a blue cast on both images (see the whites on the birds wings...).

[memorex88]

Nice captures Gary! I hear you on the weather :cry:
Today was supposed to be sunny, nothing but clouds out there :evil:

[Salmon]

Great catch Gary. For only a half dozen pics you did wonderful. I have only once seen this bird before and it was a 1000 miles from here and did not get a pic.

[Reigh Higgins]

Beautiful shots Gary. Thanks for sharing.

[Gary Fairhead]

Awesome captures Gary , having spoken to you about this bird a few times I know how excited you must have been to have them in your yard , I think it will be a good year for winter birds here in our area ,,, hopefully some Pine Grosbeaks will appear here as well at least that's what I'm Pining for :lol::lol:


Thanks Wayne and I am keeping my fingers crossed:)

BlackburnianVery nice Pics and great news Garry!

Love these!

PS: You have a blue cast on both images (see the whites on the birds wings...).

Thanks Marc and thanks also for the tip..good feedback:D

And a big thanks also to everyone else who took the time to look and comment:D

[HWP]

Excellent shots Gary. Love the colors. Thanks for sharing.

Henry

[dancad]

Well, this is great news! Bring on the winter finches...

[tbmrgc]

Nicely done. Two very nice poses, pretty bird.

Bob

[gymell]

How exciting to see these in your yard, and to get some photos! I was thrilled when rose-breasted grosbeaks showed up in my yard over the summer, never got any shots so hopefully they'll be back next year.