At 03:51 PM 11/20/2009, Dave Mcneely wrote:
>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

I had several goldfinches eating niger for most of the summer, but
they left a month or more ago.  I started feeding again this spring
and I've had cardinals, blue jays, robins, chickadees, mockingbirds,
at least one catbird, mourning doves, one passing ruby-throat which
gives me hope for next spring, grackles, three downy (possibly hairy)
woodpeckers that practically lived in the yard for several weeks, now
down to one regular.  And about fifty LBJs -- I ration them to a
quart of feed every couple days or so.  Other than the Niger I feed
an upside-down suet block and a 3:1 mix of the standard cheap
millet-based seed mixture with some very fancy seed with peanuts,
pumpkin seeds, cherries, safflower, sunflower hearts, all sorts of
good stuff.  Late in the season I put up a hummer feeder.  Habitat is
semi-urban, 30x20 yard with good cover, big squirrel-proof feeder set
for two ounces nominal in the middle of a French lilac bush and a
little one stuck to the window.  Suet and Niger hang from the tree
but I took the Niger in for the season when it stopped going down.

I'll check out the goldfinch idea thoroughly but I think our guy is
maybe twice the mass of our local goldfinches.  And of course I'll
keep trying to get a close view and/or photo of him.

:)
D