Yeah, I wouldn't be at all surprised that a few of the eastern race of Purple Finch come down this way. They also breed up in northeastern British Columbia. I am no expert; just a casual birder of long standing. But, I want to mention that I may have also seen the same thing; but mostly hidden and it disappeared before I could get a good look. The other day I was briefly looking at a small group of (wary) Cedar Waxwings here in Bellingham (see my eBird entry). And among them, was the flank of an apparent eastern race Purple Finch. It was sharply patterned with whitish background color. My first thought was Pine Siskin; but it was too big. When the waxwings disappeared, so did the bird in question. I think now I'll go back and enter it in to my eBird sighting.

Phil Hotlen
Bellingham, WA

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ruth Sullivan" <godwit513 at comcast.net>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 1:33:25 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] FEMALE PURPLE FINCH EASTERN RACE

Hello Tweeters,
It was on the 15th of October When I spotted a bird,what I never saw in my
yard ore in the wild.This bird was in the dripping Bird
Bath splashing his feathers ,infact I never saw one of this birds before.It
stayed for a while and liked playing in the water.It was the size of the
Purple Finch nearby on a feeder ,the bill was bigger than the House
finch,but the color of this bird was striking.
On the head he had light brow and white The supercillium was with going from
the bill true the back of the head.the breast and sides was also white with
large medium brown stripes.By the body shape and Bill,I figure this bird is
a Hybrid Purple Finch,but
looking in the Geographic,it is listed as the Eastern race.He showed up
today again splashing in the water taken in the whole birdbath this like the
Robins do.
I like to ask birders to find out if any of you had one of this Eastern
Purple finches seen ore had them in there yard.This bird
Is so flashy looking you can not miss this bird.Geographic got the best
photo,and it is also in the Sibley.


Cheers Ruth Sullivan

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