Category Archives: Winter finch irruption

For the Birds: Evening grosbeaks on the move

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Mike Quinn of Ticonderoga, N.Y. had these evening grosbeaks visit recently (December 2025.)

There is a thing in birding called a “spark bird.”

It is not a species of bird like a bluebird, mockingbird or blackbird, but rather the type of bird that piqued (or sparked) someone’s interest in birding and got them hooked. For many people, it is something big or colorful, like a loon or eagle or Baltimore oriole or great blue heron.

Because I have to be different, my spark bird is actually a moose. Yes, I know a moose is not a bird, but my quest to see a moose in the Vermont woods led me to my love of birdwatching.

There is also a thing in birding called a “nemesis bird.” Again, it is not a species of bird, but rather a bird that always seems to elude a birder. For instance, I see dozens of owl photos and read dozens of owl reports on Facebook and elsewhere on the internet, but I rarely see owls myself. I see the very occasional barred owl, but that’s about it.

I also have a nemesis feeder bird. It’s the evening grosbeak, a large yellow, white and black finch with a stocky bill. It’s not that the evening grosbeak is a common feeder bird in New England, but they do venture throughout New England enough, particularly in the winter, that in all my years of feeding birds, I figure I would have seen them at least once.

I have seen them a few times in the wild in northern New Hampshire, but never at my feeders. I’ve hosted siskins, purple finches, red-breasted nuthatches, indigo buntings, rose-breasted grosbeaks and a few warbler species, but never an evening grosbeak.

Evening grosbeaks are part of the Winter Finch Forecast, an annual prediction (based on food supply up north) of what birds may be heading south. Birds such as siskins, redpolls, crossbills, and grosbeaks visit New England sporadically in winter, and the people who run the Winter Finch Forecast try to predict each fall which birds to look out for in the winter.

This year’s forecast called for a strong irruption of several bird finch species. An irruption is when a species of bird visits New England and points south in higher than usual numbers in the winter. The evening grosbeak is one of those birds.

Although I haven’t seen any yet this year (of course), I have received several reports of people seeing evening grosbeaks at their feeders. Mike Quinn, an old friend I’ve known since the mid-1970s, sent me a text recently asking if I could identify a bird that was at his feeder. Naturally, it was a pair of evening grosbeaks. Mike lives in Ticonderoga, N.Y., near the Vermont border. His feeder cam photo accompanies this column.

Moira from western Maine also sent in a photo of an evening grosbeak pair at her feeder. Susan from Nelson, N.H., emailed to say she had six to eight evening grosbeaks visiting daily for about a week. She added that it’s been about 10 years since she last saw them. Her grosbeaks were eating sunflower seeds and nyjer.

But it doesn’t end there. Gene from Plymouth, N.H., had an evening grosbeak at his feeder and noted “the most striking thing was the brilliant yellow stripe above the eye.” Phil Brown, the compiler for the Keene Christmas Bird Count, noted that birders found two evening grosbeaks on count day, which was held on December 14.

Evening grosbeaks are out there this winter and perhaps heading your way. Watch those feeders for stocky yellow birds vaguely reminiscent of overgrown goldfinches. If they do arrive, drop me a line and let me know. Then send them my way.

For the Birds: Winter finches starting to come around

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Photo by Chris Bosak – Red-breasted nuthatch in New England, December 2025.

I wrote about the winter finch forecast a few weeks ago. The annual forecast predicts which and how many finches will irrupt into New England from the north each winter. An irruption occurs when birds that are not typically seen in an area appear, sometimes in great numbers, during the winter.

Food, of course, is the main driver of these irruptions. If the seeds of a bird species’ diet are scarce up north, the birds will come south to find a food source.

Just like hawk watches are not restricted to hawks but include eagles, falcons and vultures, the winter finch forecast is not restricted to finches. In addition to purple finches, siskins and redpolls, the forecast includes birds such as evening grosbeaks, red-breasted nuthatches and even blue jays.

So far, I’ve seen two of the birds highlighted by the winter finch forecast. A lone red-breasted nuthatch has visited my feeder for several days now. I’ve also seen a few purple finches “in the wild” on my walks. I’ve seen blue jays too, of course, but they are probably the same ones that visited my feeders year-round.

The red-breasted nuthatch is the first one to visit my feeders in about five years. Some parts of New England are flush with red-breasted nuthatches, and in some parts the white-breasted nuthatch is the dominant nuthatch. I live where white-breasted nuthatches are commonplace and red-breasted nuthatches are cause for great excitement.

There is really no confusing the two nuthatches. Even though the white-breasted nuthatch is a relatively small songbird, it is still noticeably larger than the diminutive red-breasted nuthatch. Both birds have blue-gray backs with their undersides matching their names. The white-breasted nuthatch has a white face and black head that looks to me like a mullet. The red-breasted nuthatch has a black eye stripe. If anything, the red-breasted nuthatch is more likely to be confused with a black-capped chickadee.

As you might imagine, the “yank, yank, yank” call and song of the white-breasted nuthatch is lower in pitch than the red-breasted’s. To me anyway, the red-breasted nuthatch sometimes sounds like the Roadrunner of cartoon fame. The sounds of the red-breasted nuthatch are often ubiquitous in the New England woods, although they can be difficult to find because of the leaf cover and their small size.

Last year I saw three purple finches, two females and one male, in the same park all throughout winter. This year I’ve seen three purple finches, perhaps the same three, in that same park. My first sighting was late November. Hopefully, they will remain there all winter again. It’s a sight to behold to see a male purple finch perched on a branch as a steady snow falls around him.

As for the other finches, it’s been a while since I’ve seen any of them. Siskins invaded my feeders about eight years ago, but nothing since then. Redpolls have been even longer. Evening grosbeaks? The next time one visits my feeders will be the first. I’ve seen them in the wild on occasion, but even that has been a long while.

I have received a few emails, mostly from the Lakes Region, from people who have seen evening grosbeaks this fall, so maybe this will be my year.

Enough about me, though. Drop me a line and let me know what you’ve been seeing at your feeders or in the woods.

For the Birds: Winter birding surprises

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Photo by Chris Bosak
An eastern bluebird braves a New England winter and visit a backyard for mealworms, winter 2020.

The calendar may not show it yet, but in the New England bird world, we’ve officially entered what could be called winter birding season. The vast majority of southbound migrants have left, and the birds we get to enjoy for the next couple of months are either trusty year-round residents or northern visitors who have traveled as far south as they intend to go.

Winter is, of course, the prime time when juncos and white-throated sparrows are found in high numbers. My personal favorite part of winter birdwatching is tracking down different species of ducks. That is, if you can find some open water.

Beyond the usual suspects, like chickadees, cardinals, titmice and nuthatches, there are some other fascinating aspects of winter birdwatching. One is the possibility of a finch irruption. I wrote in a previous column about the winter finch forecast and how it could be a strong year for birds like pine siskins and redpolls to be on the move.

An irruption is when species that aren’t typically seen here, or only a few of them, suddenly appear in certain areas in higher-than-usual numbers. Lately, I’ve been seeing social media posts and hearing other reports about evening grosbeak sightings, so be sure to keep an eye out for those striking yellow birds.

Winter birding also means seeing birds that may be unexpected in the cold months. American robins are known as harbingers of spring, but many stay with us all winter in New England. They may not be the same robins that nested with us in spring and summer, but rather ones that nested farther north and have come here for a “warm” winter. Robins tend to be seen in large flocks during the winter, particularly when there are berries to be had.

Cedar waxwings are another bird species not always thought of when it comes to winter birding in New England, but it’s always a treat when you stumble across a flock. Keep an eye on any berry sources, as they give you your best shot at finding waxwings.

Similarly, eastern bluebirds are often found in winter, though many people don’t think of them as cold-weather birds. While some do migrate, others will remain with us all the way through spring.

For species like the bluebird, robin, and even some great blue herons and hawks, it comes down to the lesser of two risky choices. Stick out a New England winter, enduring tough conditions with the possibility of freezing or starving, or fly south and risk the innumerable dangers involved with migration.

I’m thankful for the ones that choose to stick around and keep us company throughout the long months here in New England. Maintaining feeders is one way to help birds make it through the winter. Cleaning out and leaving up birdhouses is another way to help out, as some birds, like chickadees, will huddle inside the shelter away from the wind and other elements. Keeping a heated birdbath is also an excellent way to help out and see birds during the winter.

Birding is rarely cut and dry. Do bluebirds migrate? Yes. Do they all migrate? No. There are many exceptions to a lot of long-held beliefs about birds. The hobby is full of surprises, even when the winter landscape looks so bleak and lifeless.

Siskin and others

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Photo by Chris Bosak A pine siskin perches on a log in New England, November 2020.

I never did post this photo of a siskin that visited a few weeks ago. It showed up on the same day that the purple finch did. The finch stayed for only about an hour, while this siskin remained for a few days before disappearing. Here’s the story regarding those visits.

Here are a few more recent shots from this fall …

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker perches on a log in New England, November 2020.

Continue reading →

Pine siskin vs. American goldfinch video

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Here is a video I put together on the current pine siskin (fall 2018) irruption. Also a description on how to tell siskins and goldfinches apart. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here.

More and more siskins

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Photo by Chris Bosak Pine siskins visit a feeder in Danbury, Connecticut, fall 2018.

It started out as two yesterday morning. Now there are more than 20 pine siskins at my backyard feeding station in Danbury, Conn. That’s often the way it goes with these winter finches: The visits start with a few birds and they multiply and eat the host out of house and home. Not that I’m complaining …

Every perch on the hopper is filled and the rest are on a nearby hopper feeder or on the ground. They are eating Nyjer and sunflower seeds. 

Siskin irruption hits home — finally

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Photo by Chris Bosak A pine siskin eats Nyjer seeds at a feeder in Danbury, Conn., fall 2018.

After reading about pine siskins being seen throughout New England for several weeks, I woke up this morning to three of them at my feeding station. Pine siskins are one of the winter finches that irrupt from the north into New England and points south in sporadic winters. (Related post may be found here.)

Pine Siskins are often confused with goldfinches because they look fairly similar and prefer Nyjer (or thistle) seeds. Siskins are a bit larger, more sleek, more streaked and have a longer, pointed bill. The heavy streaking, especially on the sides, and yellow wing and tail markings are the best clues to differentiate the species. The male siskins have more prominent yellow markings. 

So today I celebrate that the siskins have arrived. The birds, however, have a very healthy appetite and Nyjer seed is not cheap, so we’ll see how I feel if their numbers multiply. I’m sure I’ll continue to be inspired by their presence. After all, it’s been about 10 years since I was a part of one of their irruptions. I think I can splurge once a decade on them. 

Here is a photo of them with goldfinches. Note the differences in plumage. The goldfinch is on the lower right. 

Photo by Chris Bosak Pine siskins visit a feeder in Danbury, Connecticut, fall 2018.