• Friday-What'sUP February 10 - 02:16 pm

Last week we were treated to Cedar Waxwings in a crabapple tree, this week, it's Pine Grosbeaks and they love the crabapples, too. Johnna Rilei snapped these shots to share with us and they show how this particular bird enjoys the seeds from the fruit, much more than the outside shell or skin. You can see the shell of the crabapple opened and hanging in a couple spots on the tree. That's because this large finch, bites them open and just goes for the seeds. The first two photos are of a male Pine Grosbeak, with the last photo being either a female or possibly even an immature male, as they don't get their reddish colored plumage until their second year. You often see Evening Grosbeaks here in the Keweenaw, but the Pine Grosbeak is the rarest of the winter finches, so you don't often see them in your fruit trees or on your feeders. Nice spotting Johnna!

Beautiful pictures!

These pics of the Pine Grosbeaks are wonderful! I missed the second bird in the first photo until I looked more carefully. :)

Fantastic color composition and detail!

Those are beautiful birds, especially the red coloring in the red berry tree!

We actually had quite a number of Pine and Evening Grosbeaks at our feeders in Red jacket throughout most of the year. Of course, I figure that the thick forest behind our house and the fact we found a seed they particularly liked helped.

That is truely one thing I miss about living down here; all we seem to get here are Mourning Doves and Grackles which scare away the other birds and clean out the feeders in one day!!

Gorgeous birds!! I'm with Janie in how the bird just seems to blend. Thanks!

These are gorgeous photos of gorgeous birds in a lovely tree! Thank you, Johnna and Mary.

Happy Friday, you all!

Good "birding", comparatively rare sighting Johnna!!......Enjoying and saving nature in all its splendor-ed variety is the only way to go if you plan on going the distance.

How beautiful those pics are~ahhhh, nature! Thank you Johnna!

I had the same problem, Diana. I love finches....all of 'em. Hardy little birdies!

It amazes me how those birds can hold themselves up with those thin, tiny legs. The anatomy inside them must be phenomenal.

Alex, that's what my husband always said about horses.:)

I said that once about Dr. Nat too, until I got a boot upside the head......

Dr. Nat? nawww, she's too nice.

Dr. Nat...Give Capt a boot for me too, would ya? :-)
I had thin legs when I was a teeneewager and one day I picked my girlfriend up in my arms and she said: “Are you sure you can handle me with those scrawny legs?"
So I dropped her.

lol, Alex, evidently your girlfriend never learned the best 'pick-up' lines.

Nice combination of the birds, berries, and snow.

GORGEOUS photos!!!They should be framed!!!!