14 replies to this topic

[Clip]

Cherry Creek State Park, Colorado 7-18-12. I only caught the back of this one. I hope it is enough to get it identified. Thanks!

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[BarnSwallow]

Looks like a female lazuli bunting, maybe.

[eripma]

Looks like a House Finch to me.

[Aveschapines]

My thought was Say's Phoebe, but don't listen to me!

[Clip]

Say's Phoebe is very possible. Those darn houses finches are everywhere. But, I think this bird is a little too slender for a house finch. Lazuli Bunting I wish but I think Say's Phoebe is more likely.

[Aveschapines]

OK I'm glad I spoke up then! My immdediate thought was flycatcher and the buff on the belly made me think Say's. The GISS didn't seem right to me for finch either.

[BarnSwallow]

I don't see Say's phoebe at all. The salmon color would be on the belly, not the breast. This bird's belly is white. Sitting on a thistle head is much more bunting or finch-like behavior, not phoebe-like.

[Liam]

Do you have any other shots? I agree with female Bunting-grosbeak-type.

[Aveschapines]

I'm nowhere near sure so I'm not going to go far in trying to defend my guess; but I will say that wood-pewees and Buff-Bellied Flycatchers sit on tallish weeds like this all the time here.

Isnt't the tail kind of long for a House Finch? Again, not trying to debate but I must admit I'm not convinced of finchy type here. But as I said originally - I'm a newbie who's never seen a Say's Phoebe so don't listen to me!

[Liam]

I reiterate what BarnSwallow says. The simple fact that it's sitting on a thistle stalk is enough to suggest it's a seedeater instead of a flycatcher. Proportions and color are wrong for Say's Phoebe.

[Clip]

I don't have another shot of this bird. I have seen Blue Grosbeaks in this park. House finches for sure. No Lazuli Bunting so far. I have seen a bunch of Say's Phoebes.

[psweet]

I agree with Liam and BarnSwallow -- that's not a Say's Phoebe. Given the hint of red on the crown, I'm inclined to think either House or Cassin's Finch.

[Clip]

Here is a blue grosbeak female taken in the same park.

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[Clip]

I was seeing the head as brown rather than red. The rest of the colors in the picture seem accurate. Including the purplish thistle flower.

[larrcamp]

Could well be Cassin's Finch