Photograph of immature male at feeder in VA Beach 3/16
https://ebird.org/checklist/S83501315
And Friday in Chapel Hill, NC with good description
https://ebird.org/atlasnc/checklist/S84135407
Sure seems to support your sighting. One wonders if they over-wintered rather
than being early migrants. EBird bar charts show them in VA in winter, but in
much greater numbers starting mid-April.
-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of
Anita Huffman
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2021 7:44 PM
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Bristol Birds <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-bird] Re: Rose-breasted Grosbeak!
The two female Grosbeaks didn't return today but after watching a pair of
Purple Finches today at the feeder on the deck, I am even more sure I saw an RB
grosbeak. Larger, the large white eyebrow stripe and whiter belly, larger beak.
It was not a Purple Finch.
Anita HUffman
On 3/27/21 9:58 PM, Anita Huffman wrote:
Thanks for the pictures. Very interesting! There are several reasons IYou are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email
thought it was a grosbeak.
1. It had the large grosbeak beak, not a pointed blackbird-type beak
2. my little feeder is just about 5 ft from my kitchen door, so we saw
it a pretty close-range 3. it had large white eyebrow stripe 4. It had
very light or white underparts with brown streaks, not the browner
underparts of the RW blackbird female
If they come back in the morning, I will try to take a picture. I
don't have a good camera but will keep a cell phone handy. If it turns
out to be a female blackbird or a female purple fence I will post it
anyway. :) No one is infallible.
Anita Huffman
Rugby, VA
Grayson County
