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 =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the count in which the birds you report were seen. The actual date of observation should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx _____________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp _____________________________________________________________