MANY of these wonderful things have fallen from commerce here with the closure of the specialty nurseries. I'd sought Hugonis flore plena for the past two years. Every garden which grew it, lost it. Vintage supposedly had a mother plant and I offered to buy a sucker from it if they had one, but there was too much going on to hear back. It took two years, but there are buds of flore plena in a whip out front now. Originally, Xanthina was a double flower with the single version identified as Xanthina normalis or spontanea. I contacted every source asking about the petal count of their stock. All sources responded theirs were all single. Because the double form resulted from seed, I obtained imported Xanthina seed. I hope at least one of the seedlings out back flowers double. These things are worth growing, but most don't sell in sufficient quantities for most vendors to stock. Each is going to determine which sells best and is easiest for them to produce, then offer that one type. Good luck! I know what it's like to want something you just can't find. Kim

Roseunhip I think you are correct in your identification! I have been looking on the search engines for the Black-headed Grosbeak and from what I can tell and read.......it sounds just like it! Thanks a lot for your help. We first saw it Monday morning, for several hours it hung around the yard and feeders eating sunflower seeds and then I saw it again this evening. What a treat!!!

Tammy, I am so glad that BN and Lisa could ID it.... I had no idea what type bird built that nest. I am covered up with Am. Goldfinches but have never laid eyes on a nest! Very pretty! I hope your adults return to this one.

is there any chance that it is a purple finch? hard to tell from the pic, but the facial markings make me think it's a purple, not a house finch... Lisa