[TN-Bird] Re: Possible Pine Grosbeak

  • From: "Bert Harris" <harrijb0@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:57:41 -0600 (CST)

Dear TNBIRD,

How many records does TN have for Pine Grosbeak?

-Bert Harris
Sewanee

> A few minutes ago I looked out at my bird feeder (chocked full of black
> oil
> sunflower seeds with suet in the holders on the sides) and saw a fairly
> large
> bird sitting facing me most of the time. So I got long, fairly good looks
> at
> it's front - especially the head. But very little view of the rear portion
> of
> the bird and no view at all of it's tail.
> The top and around most of the head, chest, belly, and basically most of
> the
> front of the bird was a very deep, dark burgundy read. I could see some
> white
> on the very underneath of the belly. Around the eyes were patches of
> darker,
> greyish red. The bill was dark grey and very stout with a hooked look -
> more
> like a parrot than a conical finch bill. It didn't appear to be crossed
> over
> like a crossbill. However, I have considered the possibility that it may
> have
> been a crossbill - but maybe an immature crossbill? I have never seen
> either a
> crossbill or Pine Grosbeak so both birds would be unknown to me. I believe
> the
> feet were also dark grey.
>
> The bird was fairly slow in it's movements even when it was eating. Very
> unlike most small birds which are quick and jumpy when they eat. I was
> looking out
> the window at it with binoculars and it was maybe 15 feet away from me.
> The
> feeder is hung on a tree which is right next to our front porch. So I can
> get
> very good looks at the birds there with my binoculars. It looked straight
> in my
> direction most of the time. But once in awhile would look up at a
> White-throated Sparrow on a branch above the feeder.
>
> The bird turned slightly on it's side when it was feeding so I got a
> slight
> view of the wings. Some white on the wings that I did notice.
>
> I figured that Pine Grosbeaks were much larger than this bird, but, again,
> I
> didn't see it's tail at all - so I was only looking at the front part of
> the
> bird which seemed fairly large to me. However, the bird had most of it's
> body
> actually sitting on the tray itself rather than only perched clinging to
> the
> side which is how most other larger birds (Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays,
> etc)
> feed at my feeder. Again wondering if it really may have been a smaller
> bird -
> perhaps an immature crossbill or maybe it was an immature Pine Grosbeak?
>
> Hopefully it will return and I can get a better look at it's full length
> and
> tail and get a better I.D. of the bird.
>
> I have never seen a Pine Grosbeak in our area, although I know from
> reading
> that they are in our area and have been more abundant in the past. But,
> I'm
> understanding their numbers have dwindled in this area in recent years.
>
> Barry Jernigan
> Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, TN
> (Burnt Knob Road between Almaville and Blackman - rural residential)
>
>
> =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
>
> The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
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> 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.
> _____________________________________________________________
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> ______________________________________________________________
>   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
>
> _____________________________________________________________
>
>


=================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

_____________________________________________________________


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