Caught red-billed

I attended a conference from home today, but managed to take a few photos out the window during a break:

 

 

 

Small groups of Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus) have been visiting the bird bath in our backyard.

 

Note the bill that tapers to a very sharp point, the notched tail, and the subtle but bright yellow color in the flight feathers (it's more visible in flight):

 

 

 

 

When I was reviewing the photos, I noticed that many of the siskins had something on their bills.  Here are two examples (you can click on the images for larger versions):

 

 

 

 

 

You can see something red on their bills, but I'm not sure what it is.  I have mostly thought about siskins as seed-eaters, but the reddish material looked like it could be berries?  So I read more about the diet of siskins and found one mention of them eating honeysuckle berries.  Perhaps the siskins have found some fruit in the neighborhood?  If you have other thoughts about what they might be eating, let me know!

More red than purple

 

Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) near Salt Point on 6 July 2019

Stopping by for a drink

 

I've been hearing that other folks in this area have been seeing Purple Finches (Haemorhous purpureus) in their yards.  Two stopped by for a drink in our yard on 12 March 2019.  Note the thick bill, pale eyebrow, and notched tail (compared to the more common House Finch).

 

Crossed at the tip

I heard and then saw a Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) near the Ren Brown Gallery in Bodega Bay today (14 December 2017).

The crossbill was at the very top of a very tall pine tree, but I managed a few pictures for the record.  Look for the distinctive crossed bill (the upper and lower mandibles cross near the tip), the red and yellow coloration, and the notched tail.

 

 

I first wrote about Red Crossbills on 9 December 2012, so review the post called "Nomads" for an introduction to this interesting nomadic finch.

P.S.  I was intrigued by the genus name "Loxia."  It sounds like it might be derived from a Latin word meaning "dislocation."  So I'm guessing that term refers to the unusual crossed bill.

P.P.S.  For anyone interested in call types of Red Crossbills — in the earlier post, I recorded the crossbills and they were identified as Type 3 Red Crossbills.  The bird today sounded similar.

Ruby red caps

I was excited to see these small finches today on Duxbury Beach, MA:

 

Common Redpolls (Acanthis flammea) are primarily northern birds, spending most of their time in Canada and Alaska.  When their food sources are limited in the north, they move further south.  They are rare in northern California, but show up more regularly in New England (where I'm writing from tonight).

I love their ruby red "polls" or "caps."  Note also the small yellow bill (with dusky tip), black around the base of the bill, and overall brown/gray/white streaking.  Adult males have a pinkish or rose color on their breasts and flanks (stronger during the breeding season), while young males and females have mostly white breasts.

 

Redpolls are primarily seed eaters.  In the dunes this morning they were interested in the seeds of goldenrod (photo above) and wormwood (very first photo).

This was a large flock of birds (more than 100) and sometimes they would swirl around above the vegetation and then descend in a tight group to a seed source.

 

 

Here are two images of redpolls searching for seeds — the first while clinging to goldenrod, the second while walking along the sand.

 

 

I was amazed at how quickly they could disappear among the vegetation.  But this pictures shows how well the streaking on their backs blends in with a background of grass blades.

 

An interesting note — Redpolls generally have a shallow notch at the tip of their tails.  Today, some of these birds displayed very deep notches (similar to a Barn Swallow).  In reviewing the pictures, I think the birds with deeply notched tails were molting their central tail feathers (see below).

 

One more redpoll fact: To survive very cold temperatures, redpolls have special internal seed storage pouches along their esophagus.  They can store seeds there and then eat them later — very helpful on a night like tonight!  Brrrrr!

 

P.S.  Happy Solstice!