Maybe a pine grosbeak? They're pretty tame and could be found in your location. My sil bought me a Sibley Field Guide for my birthday, very easy to find birds in it compared to some of the other bird books. Haven't seen that one on this side, but we're only putting out niger seed for finches and chickadees. A neighborhood agreement - rodent issues! Also English sparrow issues, the sparrows were claiming all the bird boxes and running off the swallows when they showed up so we're trying hard not to encourage the sparrows. Here is a link that might be useful:

I think those are House Finches, Gil. Purple Finches are very red all over including the underside and the back just above the tails and a red wash throughout all the wing streaks. I've read them described as 'the whole bird looks like its been dipped in raspberry juice'. I have 3 males and several females at the moment in my yard and am hoping they stay around. Konrad, I'm fairly certain yours is also a House Finch as well. I find they vary greatly in the amount of red or orange present on the head, neck and breast. I have had a very special visitor the last couple of days - a European Goldfinch. I managed to get some poor quality photos today, mostly so I could ask the experts for ID which I got today. Gonna be trying to get a better photo, but in the meantime, this is what it looks like. Here is a link that might be useful: Photo of European Goldfinch

reply to start post down the list

I think I've figured out what they are. This is really embarrassing because they're just robins. I came home from work a while ago and the back yard was full of them so I quietly walked up to some and they all flew like crazy but I did get a better look. I think what threw me off was the fact that they're so skinny now. I'm used to walking up to fat robins. Boy, what a blonde moment!!! Now I'll have to think of a real intelligent question to show you guys I'm not so ditzy. lol Hey, I can spell Brugmansia!!! hehehe