My Husband, Son, and I live in close proximity to Patterson Park (Baltimore City). We aren't the most skilled of birders but we love birding and we are introducing out 16 month old son to birding. The little guy is up to 155 species on the year - ha!
At any rate, we are in the Park nearly every day for exercise, play time, or birding and in the past week or 10 days, we have noticed a group of approximately 6 birds that gather near the boat lake high up on a snag of leafless branches on an otherwise healthy tree full of foliage.
The birds arrive at a time when the light (sun setting) makes it very difficult to observe the birds well. (We haven't seen them earlier in the day.)
The birds, at a glance, resemble house finches; however, they seem bigger - slightly larger in bill and heft around the breast. The undersides of their tails also appear darker than that of a house finch. We've never heard them make a call of any sort.
I've tried photographing the birds; however, our camera is poor and with the distance and light, I can't seem to get a photo that would help us definitively determine if these are house finches, or perhaps purple finches?
There were several bird walks in the park this past weekend, however, I haven't seen any notes or eBird reports from those walks.
Any thoughts? I do have photos and I'm happy to share but they are so poor due to the limitations of the camera.
Also noted? A few Brown thrashers in the park this evening - maybe as many as 6 (haven't seen since spring and not observed yesterday evening), an ovenbird, 21 Northern Flickers flying northwest over the Pagoda (just before 6PM), several beautiful common yellowthroats, as well as several different flycatchers. . .and the "usual suspects."
Thanks for your time! Deni Miller and the equally bird obsessed Chris & Mac Morrone, Baltimore City
--
|