The Grosbeak Collection

Day 232: This was an all-day project, and if I had known how elusive the male Black-Headed Grosbeaks (upper left) were to be, I would have started with them first when I had a dozen or more. The female Black-Headed (upper right) was the first successful capture. I had two of them flitting in and out among the other birds. A small number, to be sure, and later it would increase fivefold, but at 10 AM, I was simply looking for a quick shoot.

Another project pulled me away from my perch on the back porch and by the time I returned, the feeders were nearly depleted. I stocked them again with plenty of black-oil sunflower seed and settled into my chair. Within fifteen minutes, I had all the Evening Grosbeaks you'd ever want (bottom left and bottom right respectively), but no male Black-Headed was in sight. I waited and waited. Went in and made a cup of coffee to the sound of cracking seeds, audible even through the closed windows. Hungry little buggers, this lot. And then I waited some more. Finally, two Black-Headed males showed up but stayed largely hidden in the leaves for the first ten minutes or so. Eventually, they got bold enough to challenge the horde of Evenings, although one decided the easiest course of action was to eat nyjer seed instead. I wound up with more photos of Black-Headed males than any other, oddly enough.

Have I mentioned that I have a lot...plenty, an abundance, scads, tons, swarms and flocks of Grosbeaks?