FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Whatever it was still hasn't come back

[FINCH64@xxxxxxx]

I've checked the feeder on and off and taken video of the feeder several 
times when it was active.
A pair of Purple Finches have definitely come to stake out the feeder. I've 
taken quite alot of film of them. I just can't make the male Purple Finch be 
the bird that I saw. The color is all wrong. The bird I saw was solid burgundy 
red from the top of it's head, it's entire breast and belly except for a little 
bit of white way underneath it. The bird I saw from the top of it's round 
head to the belly alone was the size of an entire Purple Finch (head to tail). 
The bird I saw the other day had black beady eyes that were definitely 
noticeable from the rest of it's face. The male Purple Finch I've caught on 
film today 
and the other day has eyes that I can barely discern from the rest of the 
color on it's head. It's eyes blend in with the darkness of the plumage on its 
head. The male Purple Finch today DID sit on the edge of the feeder and he sits 
with his belly on the edge and leaning forward. The bird the other day sat more 
like an owl - straight up and had more of that look about it when it was 
looking straight at me. Actually I think it was looking in the direction of the 
window where I was standing and our pet Budgerigar was chirping and the bird 
probably heard our parakeet and was looking in the direction of that noise. 
Also 
when I first looked out at the feeder and noticed the bird I said to myself, 
"What the heck is that?" If it was a Purple Finch I probably would have said, 
"Oh a little House Finch" and never paid it any mind.

But the bird is gone and if nobody else - especially a more experienced 
birder saw it - that's all I have is my memory of it - oh well. "C'est la vie" 
or 
is it "C'est la guerre"? Not sure which I feel like using right now.

I think I know what it is like to be someone who has seen the Loch Ness 
monster or Bigfoot or an alien and didn't have a camera handy ;-) Guess where 
the 
video cam is from now on? ;-) With two charged batteries AND I'll keep a 
constant supply of film cartridges for it as well. And if I can't get to the 
camera 
or binoculars or guide book or whatever I know that you 
don't-take-your-eyes-off-the-bird-until-it-flies-away. That is like my new 
mantra to remember. ;-)

Only other thing of note is six Black Vultures landed in our yard yesterday. 
They stayed for a bit - not sure why.  Pecking here and there at something on 
the ground. Then some of them flew up into a tree in our yard. Then they all 
flew off. Today I looked out and saw two Black Vultures in a tree right near 
where the others were yesterday. Must be some animal dead in the woods behind 
our house.

Barry Jernigan
Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co, TN


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