On 4/27 Patricia Hansen wrote:

"After paging through my three bird books the past few days I am still
unable
to identify a bird I've seen come to my feeder. It has the body coloring of
a cedar wax wing, no top knot, the shape and size of about that of a purple
finch, the bill is heavier than a warbler, more like a finch, the wings are
quit dark, no other color markings on the wings that I can see. I've seen
warblers, the bill isn't right for this bird. I thought it might have been
a brown headed cowbird but the neighbor has seen those and says it isn't
one. He doesn't know what this is either. I saw this bird for the first
time last Tuesday and today there have been two at the feeder. I have a 3
compartment feeder with sunflower heart pieces, thistle and chickadee mix.
They are only interested in the sunflower. Does anyone have any idea what
this bird might be?"


I think you could be looking at a female brown-headed cowbird
http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpecies_LI.asp?imageID=17383 With
species where the males are easy to identify, the females can present a
challenge and may not be recognized by you neighbor.

Jack Stephens
Edmonds, WA
jstephens62 at attbi.com
Use FRS 11/22 when birding the Pacific Northwest