To get a lifer is unusual by definition, but to get a lifer in my own back yard is unheard of.
Two days ago, while looking through my kitchen window, I had a very brief glimpse of a fairly large black, yellow and white songbird taking off from my feeder. I had no idea what it was but I was pretty sure it was a bird I’d never seen before, in my yard or anywhere else. I get very little species variety in my yard so I was excited and frustrated at the same time.
Then yesterday, after spending the entire morning on a birding trip, I happened to glance out my kitchen window at my feeder again and there it was.
It was a beautiful male Evening Grosbeak, although I wasn’t sure of the species until I looked it up later. That color combination and massive bill are unmistakable, especially in combination with the distinctive yellow forehead and supercilium.
All three of these photos were taken through my dirty kitchen window with my ‘baby lens’ and the male was in the shade of the feeder but I was delighted that he stuck around long enough for me to get documentary photos.
And he wasn’t alone.
While looking at him through my lens I didn’t notice her at first but a female Evening Grosbeak, presumably his mate, was about to join him at the feeder.
They both gorged themselves at the feeder for quite a while. They always had their backs to me but it was fun to get them both in the same frame and showing some of their field marks so well.
I almost never post feeder shots to my blog but for lifers I’ll make an exception. I suspect both birds are migrating through but I hope they stick around for a few days longer.
It’s been a while since I’ve had this much avian excitement in my yard. Maybe never.
Ron
That’s very cool! And a very good job of documenting it. Nice to hear they’re hanging around for a bit also – looking forward to a few more photos.
Thank you, Bill. There probably will be more photos, in part because I got a couple of very nice surprises at my feeder this morning.
I am so excited for you, Ron!! What a treat. And kudos for capturing them so beautifully. Perhaps they will stay and raise a brood! Grossbeaks are a rare visitor to my area too. Way back in the 80s a flock of yellow grossbeaks visited my feeders. They were beautiful and they were vacuum cleaners, empting my feeders in record time. The only reason I could come up with for their visit was extreme winter weather to the north of Greensboro. It was a one and done experience. I hope you are more fortunate and your visitors return to delight you.
Melanie, both grosbeaks are still here! Not five minutes ago I got more photos of both of them at my feeder.
Ah! My spark birds!!
As a 9-year old, I trouped up to the Pocono mountains (PA), to my great aunt Eloise’s home, with my 5 girl cousins for a week at “Auntie Weezie’s”. Aunt Eloise FED birds! She bought seed in 50 gallon drums and we kiddos all had jobs in preparing the food for the birds each morning that week. We would spend a half hour filling her many hand-built wooden feeders placed in her back yard between the house and the creek, and after we came back inside all of the birds would come down out of the trees to feast all over the yard, in the feeders, jostling for places, all over the ground, everywhere – there were so many! The birds were Evening Grosbeaks! Thousands of them would descend from the trees, filling the ground like a noisy moving carpet! Such a life-changing impression they offered! (No wonder many years later, we had to open a bird feeding store, eh!?)
That’s quite a story, Barbara. Might as well profit from an addiction that so many share… 🙂
I can’t imagine how much 50 gallons of the No Mess Blend I buy from Kelli’s store would cost.
WOW! Fantastic!
Thanks, Charlotte.
Very neat yard bird! I saw so many when we were staying with a friend is Fairfield, ID last summer. I had a blast with the birds there.
Thanks, April.
Out here (PNW), evening grosbeaks often come through in large groups, as you mentioned, Ron; a good friend of mine calls them ‘grocery beaks’ for the vast quantity of seed they go through… I’m a bit up in elevation and in the woods and only once has a large group come through – I could hear them calling as they came up the driveway through the trees – it was such a wonderful song, I had to go to the window to see what it was. I also get the gorgeous black-headed grosbeaks and the first of those just came in this week.
Louise, I didn’t hear a peep out of these two but their mouths were always full. Maybe they were minding their manners…
I hope you’re enjoying your retirement.
Thanks, Ron – yes, I am enjoying retirement now. The first year was a huge adjustment going from 24/7/365 on call to zip! I miss the hospital cases most – though also just engaging with the public (for those on the list who don’t know me – retired raptor rehabilitator). And last year I made the mistake of scheduling two joint surgeries (hip and shoulder) during gardening season – silly me! But this year, I am enjoying the color and getting my hands dirty again… and, of course, watching the birds! I have had bear problems, so I bring my feeders in at night – and the birds are always waiting for me in the morning to get my hiney out there with the goods!
Louise, I have a very good friend who’s in dire need of both surgeries you mention. It’ll be a few months before she can enroll in Medicare so she’s trying to wait it out. She’s having a very difficult time of it.
Cortisone shots can help a bit while she waits. I’ve only got one original major joint left and it’s gonna go this fall – just didn’t want to do it during flower season… 🙂 I wish her the best.
Wow! Congratulations. Are you in their range or were they out being tourists?
Arwen, according to Cornell I’m in their nonbreeding range but they’re listed as “scarce”.
How wonderful. For you and for us.
I hear you on the dirty window front too. I always promise I am going to do better – and fail.
That is a powerful looking beak for a seed eating – and gorgeous colouring.
Powerful looking beak indeed.
The skies to the southwest look angry right now and I hear thunder so I have an excuse, at least temporarily, for not washing my windows. Before I even finished typing this it started to rain. Hope it doesn’t hail.
Poop. It’s hailing.
Congratulations Ron on being able to ‘snap’ a few great images of this wonderful gift from nature. That’s what I call instances like this, gifts from mother nature.
Patrick, I often think of it as nature’s serendipity.
Don’t like to use the overused word awesome, but I will here and say that is indeed an awesome discovery. That 2nd photo and then the two together are really special. I have never seen one. In the spring here the Blue Grosbeak is very present, but we don’t even show the Evening in our list of Prescott birds.
Thanks, Evertt. The Blue Grosbeak would also be a lifer for me. Maybe someday…
Ron – checking yesterday’s comment here – that is really interested regarding the contrast between Prescott and the SLC area regarding the Grosbeaks. The Blue is so very present here starting now. We see them all over and yet you evidently don’t get them at all.
Wow, what a treat for you! The greenish bills are interesting. And echoing others, having the pair together in one photo – wonderful!
Your post yesterday on the Earred Grebes was fascinating. Thank you for it. And such a worry, that they rely on only the two lakes, and April’s comment about botulism. Yikes!
Carolyn, I was surprised by their bill color but I looked it up and Cornell say’s their bills are “greenish-yellow”.
Fantastic! What excitement! These grosbeaks are really good-looking birds. Love the “bookend” shot at the feeder showing the sexual dimorphism of the species. Looks like you’ll need to keep your kitchen window clean from now on. 😉
“Looks like you’ll need to keep your kitchen window clean from now on.”
Ha, I’ve told myself that before but eventually I always shirk my responsibility and let it get yucky again. I think I’m a sloppy dishwasher, with water flying all over the place.
Fortunately, our kitchen sink isn’t near a window (I’m also an enthusiastic dishwasher), but I’m terrible about keeping windows clean. At least I can tell what size foster dogs I’ve had recently by looking at all the nose prints and paw smudges. 😉🐶 Hope you don’t have any damage from the hail!
What fun! 🙂 Just never know what’s going to show up. Beautiful birds. 🙂
We occasionally get some Black Headed Grosbeaks tho haven’t had any in a few years – fun birds to watch and interesting that their young, like owls, hang around outside the nest for awhile before they really fledge. Found that out quite by accident after rescuing one from a snake – put it back in the bush without much hope of it staying (a.k.a. robins) but to my surprise it did!
Speaking of “dirty windows”. A Chickadee has been seeing it’s reflection in our picture windows and having at it trying to get the intruder…..
Thanks, Judy. I’ve been hearing quite a few chickadees in my yard and my neighbor’s yards but I seldom see them. So far anyway. And for the last few days, Lesser Golfinches have been all over my feeder.
Congratulations! A most pleasant happenstance for you! They are such a beautiful bird. When we lived in the upper peninsula we would get dozens to the feeders…they would not leave till every sunny was gone only to repeat when the feeders were filled again. I hope they stay with you for several days for your enjoyment!
Kathy, doing research yesterday I learned that they sometimes gather in large flocks. Sounds like large groups of them were a common occurrence for you. I can’t imagine it…
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving birder/photographer/teacher/blogger!
Thank you, Burrdoo. Whether I’m “deserving” or not, seeing them was greatly appreciated.
Wow! How exciting. Such great timing. Always good to find that we can experience new things when we don’t expect it.
Thanks, Brett. It certainly was unexpected.
Congrats and well done Ron. I love that shot of the pair.
A lifer in the yard, and getting a photo of it, is an event well worth sharing.
“an event well worth sharing”.
I’m glad you think so, Michael. I couldn’t resist.
Love these! I’ve seen one male in my long life. And never the female.
Thanks, Sallie. Then you understand my excitement.
What a thrill for you ! I actually LOVE the last shot showing the
mated pair together on your feeder– doubt you’d get that kind of
field-guide illustration of the sex-differentiated markings and
coloration in one shot if you were out in the wild…..I hope I get
such a good show on my feeders some day !
Thanks, Kris. It was thrilling indeed. You make a good point about getting them both in the same frame.