This isn’t the best photo by any means, but I think it’s kind of interesting even so. Until I saw the cardinal next to the rose-breasted grosbeak, I think I would have guessed that a grosbeak’s beak was larger than a cardinal’s. It doesn’t look that way, does it? I think I also would have guessed that the grosbeak is a larger bird than the cardinal, but these two look nearly identical in size.The rose-breasted grosbeak have arrived somewhat early this year. My first sighting was a female on May 4. Last year my first sighting was May 17, which was somewhat late. In 2007 I was starting to despair that I had missed seeing the birds altogether and then they finally arrived.
It was raining heavily when I took this photo through my living room window on Monday morning around 7:30 a.m. The early hour and the rain both contribute to why neither bird looks as pretty as usual. The grosbeak was also a bit uncooperative in that it wasn’t eating in a position where I could get a photo that shows his pretty, rose-colored breast. Seeing these two species together is a treat and instructive too, even if the photo quality isn't the highest
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4 comments:
I think that's a neat photo. Am I reading too much into their body language or is the cardinal seeming to be giving grosbeak the dominant hairy eyeball?
It's a sort of peaceable kingdom kind of photo.
I hope the Grosbeaks come to my yard this year. They have arrived in our area. What an interesting picture!
Lynne, your reading of the body language of these two birds is what I saw too. The cardinal, who is a daily visitor, wasn't going to let a new interloper eat all *his* sunflower seeds. I was a little surprised, as cardinals seem rather shy, at least around people. Mr. Cardinal shows up at dawn, even before Mrs. Cardinal arrives. But he sure wasn't a wuss around the grosbeak.
Carolyn H.
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