Winter goldfinch is something I thought of, but David did not mention
wing bars, which goldfinch definitely has and junco definitely does not.
Goldfich also has pinkish bill that appears yellowish to some in dim
light and from some angles.  But yeah, goldfinch is possibility, and if
David is in an urban setting, goldfinches might not be common in his
yard, so not expected.  David

On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 2:43 PM, Kim Brennan wrote:

> Goldfinch maybe?
>
> Hardest bird I ever tried to identify was a female warbler that
> stunned itself flying into our windows at my WV house. I was able to
> hold it, spread its wings and sit with several reference books trying
> to identify it.
>
> In the end I tentatively decided it was a female BlackThroated Blue
> Warbler. I gave it water and it eventually recovered. Hung around
> after that and sort of bowed to me before flying off.
>
> On Nov 20, 2009, at 11:43 AM, David Beierl wrote:
>
>> Twice in the last month I've had a small junco-ish bird at my feeder
>> in Rhode Island.  I thought it was the first of the winter junco
>> crop, but it has an obviously yellow sparrow/finch type short
>> straight un-crossed bill with overall smooth coloring
>> darkish/gray-looking above and whitish below.  Can't tell you eyes
>> except dark, head patterns except nothing striking, flight pattern
>> etc.  If there's any red on it I'm colorblind enough that I wouldn't
>> have seen it without binocs.  Both times sitting on a feeder perch in
>> the company of my rowdy street-gang of sparrows/LBJs, not engaging in
>> aggressive behavior that I saw.
>>
>> Any ideas?  I'm stumped.
>>
>> Yours,
>> David