Every year since I moved to my current location in 1991, purple finches  have 
shown up in March and have usually stayed around for a couple of weeks,  
feeding at my window feeder.  One year I missed them altogether.   About half the 
falls I have seen a few for just a few days.
 
This year, eight or so have been around all winter. Not every day, but  every 
week.  Four pinkies and four brownies.  Yesterday there were  more.
 
Today, there were more here than ever before: at least twenty, with at  least 
four pinkies.
 
I have only seen the Carpodacus purpureus crinitis the one time,  on February 
26.
 
One curiosity: Don Simonson, who lives only a long block away through the  
woods, has not had purples since December.
 
Bob Mumford
Darnestown