One of the problems with the information age is access to too much
information. The new NGS guide is a fairly good example of this.
In their effort to be complete they have included species that are
so improbable throughout most of North America as to be distracting.

Barring an escape, it is highly improbable that a Crimson-collared
Grosbeak came to your mother-in-law's feed. I think you've registered
your own skepticism sufficiently and I'm not saying anything surprising
to you.

Pretend as though Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Red Bishop and Eurasian
Bulfinch are not included in the book. Just block them out. What is
the next most likely bird? I don't want to suggest any myself, though
I have an opinion....

And on the off chance that it is a Crimson-collared Grosbeak, buy
your mother-in-law a camera. She may have the next Xantu's Hummingbird.

Joanne Schmitt wrote:
>
> Yesterday, while visiting my in-laws in Port Angeles, we saw a Red
> Crossbill land at their feeder! I had never seen one there, and neither
> had my mother-in-law. She also told me that both she and my
> father-in-law had seen a Crimson Grosbeak (native to Mexico) at their
> feeder several times within the last week. I really doubted it at first,
> but her report sure fits it and they both went through the entire
> Peterson's Field Guide to Western Birds and could find nothing else
> remotely similar to what they saw. My mother-in-law is somewhat new to
> birding, but is VERY observant, having been taught to observe wildlife at
> a young age by her father.
>
> Joanne Schmitt
> jschmitt at sprintmail.com
> Poulsbo, WA
>
> "The earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs,
> but not every man's greed."
> - Mahatma Ghandi

--
Mike Patterson I don't swear for the hell of it.
Astoria, OR Language is a poor enough means of communication
mpatters at orednet.org and we've got to use all the words we've got....
Besides, there are damn few words anybody understands
Henry Drummond in "Inherit the Wind"

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html