Tweets - over the last couple of weeks, we've had many visits by EVENING
GROSBEAKS to our yard, and a few visits by RED CROSSBILLS. Just now, a
small group (~10) of crossbills came down for a bath and a drink in our
artificial stream. At one point, there was a male, a female, and a juvenile
all together in the water. Most of the birds were adults.

I've never seen a juvenile crossbill before - they look rather like
oversized Pine Siskins, except for the lack of yellow, and excepting the
bill of course.

I wonder if this means they bred in the area. If I remember correctly,
crossbills have variable breeding timing, breeding when there is adequate
food, rather than "in spring" or "in summer". I don't know how long
juveniles retain their juvenile plumage.

Once again, I'm reminded just how wonderful it is to have an artificial
stream right outside the window.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at frontier.com