Michael Price wrote -

>Description: a Carpodacus finch perched atop a 60-70 meter fir singing an
>unfamiliar rich, clear song with some elements of House Finch combined with
>grosbeak-like carolling (unlike typically bright, sloppy,
>mouth-full-of-novocaine HOFI song which has more in common with Stevie
>Nicks than Cecilia Bartoli--the gritty, rushed Purple Finch song isn't even
>a contender here); bright rasberry-magenta (not strawberry as HOFI)
>brightest on throat, paling on upper breast and fading quickly to clear
>white (not greyish-white as HOFI); two clear lines of fine streaking down
>sides and flanks, and fine streaking on undertail coverts (unlike coarser
>grey streaking of HOFI, and rose-colored blobs of PUFI); because of the
>angle of view (and the fact that the little twerp waited for me to get my
>scope set up and then flew at the same instant I put eye to
>eyepiece--eloquent expressions of rage from all members of the party) only
>the chin was visible; upperparts and wings were not visible.
>If anyone more familiar than us with Cassin's Finch would care to comment
>on this provisional ID, your comments would be most welcome.

Sounds like the song of a Cassin's all right. The mantra I use for the three
Carpodacus finches songs refers to the loudest and strongest "key" phrases of
their respective songs:

If it happens at the beginning, it is a Purple; middle it is a Cassin's; at
the end it is a House.

This borrowed completely from the Kelowna, BC gang and thoroughly field
tested. I find it useful and reliable. Still the best diagnostic is the call
note, the 3-parted Chee-di-up of the Cassin's being non-existent in the
others' vocabularies. Adult Purples has a very finchy cheeWEEoo but it is
different and not used as a call note generally.

Note that the only Cassin's on record in the Prince George, BC area was a
male which showed up in my yard one year ago 2nd week of May, phenologically
the same date this year given our late spring.

- Jack


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*Jack Bowling *
*Prince George, BC *
*jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca *
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