Debbie wrote:

"Last summer I came home from work one day and found a dead Evening
Grosbeak in a hanging water dish. The shallow dish is about ten feet
off the ground and hangs off a tree house that was built around three
doug firs. Anybody have a clue how that grosbeak came to lay in such an
odd final resting place? I didn't find any wounds on the body like
animal bites or gunshot holes."

I haven't had Evening Grosbeaks (in any numbers) for several years.
Last time was in 1993. Late in the summer a sick bird died in a bowl
feeder (on a pole). The bird was stationary in the feeder for several
hours. It's feathers were all fluffed out, I assume because it was
fevered, and it would only move slightly even when I approached (with
camera) to only a foot away. It would, from time to time while in this
state, nibble on a sunflower seed in the feeder. Once or twice a House
Finch landed and took a seed or two, and the most the Grosbeak would do
was maybe shuffle its position in the feeder a little. Eventually the
eyes started closing on and off, staying closed for longer and longer
periods. Then it died.

>From the one time I got near it to take some pictures, I had the
impression either it did not want to leave the feeder or it just
physically couldn't manage the energy to fly. My supposition is that it
went to the feeder while feeling bad, was "comfortable" there with seeds
around, and then didn't feel up to leaving. I perhaps should mention it
was not perched on the edge of the feeder, but was nestled in the feeder
bowl.

Of course, after the Grosbeak died the feeder got a good cleaning and
disinfecting.

Bill Ward
Lacey WA
wward at mail.cco.net