Hi Grant, Wanted to respond to your message and give an update...it's been a while since I've been here! Anyhow, I ended up taking the seeds out of my bird-house so now it's just an 'ornamental' bird house. The great thing is, the finches still come around just to check but it's not the bombardment that it was before...it's just the right amount. In fact, they seem more fixated on my sunflowers these days than anything else! Good on them! As for the hummingbird feeder, it's already out and next to my Chinese Pistache tree...and guess what? Today I was looking out my front window and saw a pretty green hummingbird take a sip from the feeder! He dashed in and out pretty quickly but it was still very exciting...I hope he will be back! What I'd really love to see at some point is a Cardinal, or a Stellar's Jay. But I have a feeling those are a bit harder to attract...I'll have to do some research. The only time I've seen a Cardinal was when I visited Boyce Thomson Arboretum...I can't even remember what it sounded like but it did have a unique chirp. The one I saw was a brightly colored male and he was in a thick, leafy tree. Sadly, he flew away quickly when he saw me approaching. Anyhow, I'll keep you posted for sure if I find any better seed varieties!

This really gets us down into the nitty-gritty of finely detailed plumage differences. I ruled out female Rose-breasted Grosbeak: the bill is too small, brown cheek patch not large and prominent enough, iris not big enough, brown on throat (rather than the white throat of the female RBGR), white upperwing bars are actual bars (whereas as the female RBGR shows white spotted bars). Female RBGR also show a more defined white supercilium. RBGR don't show pink legs. The bird in the photo looks the part of a female Purple Finch.

Does it look like this? I saw this Fox Sparrow in my yard last February. I occasionally see them in the winter here in SE MA. Claire

That's it!!! :) Thank you for your help, I appreciate it.