Color progresses just a bit

Fall color is gaining a little bit each day here on Roundtop Mtn. I’m tempted to take a photo of this view every morning for the next couple of weeks just to see how much the color does change from day to day. The leaves still have quite a ways to go, but the change is underway.

I had a female purple finch at my feeder yesterday. I was sitting just a few feet away from her and didn’t dare move even to grab the camera. I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever seen a purple finch before the first juncos arrived. I think I probably haven’t, but it may just be that I didn’t pay attention to when I first saw a purple finch.

I’m glad the finch I saw was the female. I think they are easier to differentiate from the ubiquitous house finch than are the males.

I should give up even attempting to take photos in the mornings now, but I can't seem to break the habit.

 Maybe next week.

Purple Finch at the Feeder

I had a new feeder visitor this beautiful snowy morning. It's a female Purple Finch. I haven't seen a male yet, but the female is a treat. To me, it's much easier to decide if I'm seeing a purple finch or a house finch by looking at the females.

When I see the males, especially at some distance or in poor light, I'm always asking if the color is more strawberry (house finch) or more purple (purple finch). Usually, I change my mind eleventy-eight times, and even then I won't be sure I'm right.

But the females make the identification an easy one. See that nice eye line on this bird? Purple finch. Female house finch don't have the eye line. The female purple finch's belly stripes are also more defined and paler than the female house finch's. So when I see finches and can't figure out which variety I'm seeing, I look for the females in the group, and that makes the identification an easy one.