This year is the first in about 5 years that I've seen the grosbeaks. I had 5 males on the feeder at one time, with more females scattered about. Here's a picture of a pair that I shot. Of course, the mail had his back to me!

Caroline- Maybe I should switch some of my feeders from a 'nesting' mix which has added dried fruit and nuts to the BOSS. The woodpeckers really like that mixture. I wonder if the grackles would be less interested in the sunflower seeds. I'd do just about anything to reduce their presence at the feeders and I'm not too fond of doves either. As for upside eating- we have our suet feeder hung upside down and we're amazed at quickly the grackles and wrens learned the trick. Not all of them just some of the more clever ones. We're still waiting for our rose breasted to show up - but it only stays for a day or two and then is on it's way north but while it's here it sits at the feeder for a really long time.

Like Alisande, I only see one about once a year...just passing through. I put out a lot of bird seed. I put black oil sunflower seeds in the feeders in the yard and I get a free mix that is a lot of milo and some sunflower seeds donated to me by Walmart, and I put it out along the driveway for the doves. It is so dry here. Right now I have 5 bird baths in the lower part of my yard, which is only about 1/2 acre big, but ran the horse water troughs over yesterday, and couldn't believe all the doves down there bathing. I guess I'm fortunate. I see sparrows in town, but out here in the country, we don't have them. Bluebirds can be seen in this area...supposedly, but the only time I ever saw them, was a pair in the yard of the old man that I look after a couple of towns over, and he couldn't have cared less. That was a few years ago. Now he has a pair of hawks nesting in a tree right out his door, and I can't even get him to walk to the door to look out at them.

Joan what can I say other than always I truly love your pics.They are really amazing.Thank you for taking time to share with us.I want a camera like yours.You need to do this for nothing else for extra cash because you could sell these. You are so so good and talent.