I'm guessing here, but if its larger than a gold-finch it might be a
grosbeak.  There are several varieties that have similar coloration and are
about twice as big as a finch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Grosbeak

HTH

Matt Thyer

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
David Beierl
Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 1:54 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Friday bird AKICIV (All Knowledge is Contained in Vandom)

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