** Michael Price writes -

>Another 'masked' migrant species: a male non-Alternate Purple Finch
>Carpodacus purpureus, a species which has become quite uncommon, even rare,
>in Vancouver BC without anyone noticing, was singing in the yard this
>morning, the first--and probably only--for the year. A decade and a half
>ago, this was a common flocking wintering bird here, but now surprisingly
>difficult to find. Anyone else notice a similar drop in its numbers?

Indeed this is the case for the coast. However, here in the c. interior of
B.C., they are a fairly common and possibly even increasing summer consituent.

- Jack


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Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jbowling at direct.ca