okaugust Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Taken today, August 6, Lynn Point Road, Nemah, WA (it's a random hotspot). Purple will be a new bird for me, having just moved here, but it doesn't strike me as a House due to the facial markings. Granted the light isn't very friendly here, and as much as I would love my first Purple Finch to actually be....well...purple, I figured I wanted to at least get it IDd correctly even if it isn't a male with nice coloring. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 House. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaugust Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 Whew, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 8 hours ago, okaugust said: Whew, thanks! Were you sweating that one?😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaugust Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 LOL Yeah, I almost didn't want it to be a Purple Finch. When I see one for the first time, I want to be able to say, "Now THAT'S a Purple Finch!" 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Streaks on flanks are too blurry for Purple Finch. House finches are more common in Washington state as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 I'm seeing young Purple Finch here. Head shape is spot-on and it has a straight culmen. More photos might help. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 minute ago, The Bird Nuts said: I'm seeing young Purple Finch here. Head shape is spot-on and it has a straight culmen. More photos might help. Possible, now that you say it I can see some pretty Purple characteristics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaugust Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 Unfortunately it was the only shot I got of it. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 4 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said: I'm seeing young Purple Finch here. Head shape is spot-on and it has a straight culmen. More photos might help. Yeah... You might be right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 My first reaction early this morning was Purple. I did a quick brightening (hope the OP is OK with this). Appears to have the weak crescent below the eye mentioned in Sibley? West coast birders? Purples are a little different out there. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 hour ago, RobinHood said: My first reaction early this morning was Purple. I did a quick brightening (hope the OP is OK with this). Appears to have the weak crescent below the eye mentioned in Sibley? West coast birders? Purples are a little different out there. It looks like Purple to me. Not a west coast birder, but I know western birds quite well because my first guidebook was of western US. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bird-Boys Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) This is a Purple Finch. A quite worn one at that. Note straight culmen. Edited August 7, 2021 by Bird-Boys 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 21 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said: It looks like Purple to me. Not a west coast birder, but I know western birds quite well because my first guidebook was of western US. I used to live in Arizona, that's why. Weirdly, I stuck with the western guidebook, probably because I didn't have much else. So I started birding with a bird book for the west and kept with it for quite some time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 minute ago, Bird-Boys said: This is a House finch. Note curved culmen and indistinct face pattern. The culmen doesn't look curved to me. Indistinct face pattern is because western individuals have less distinct facial pattern. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 6 minutes ago, Bird-Boys said: This is a Purple Finch. A quite worn one at that. Note straight culmen. I'm guessing it's young and not worn. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/247785731 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 17 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said: I'm guessing it's young and not worn. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/247785731 My thoughts as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Also bulky in the purple way 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaugust Posted August 8, 2021 Author Share Posted August 8, 2021 I go out birding all day and you guys all change your minds! I just moved here from Wyoming so it’s all new to me. The shorebirds and gulls are enough to be going on with and now I start over with finches too. Sigh. So….purple it is? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan B Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 6 minutes ago, okaugust said: So….purple it is? Yep! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 That is what I get for identifying a bird a 11oclock at night. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bird Brain Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 8 minutes ago, Kevin said: That is what I get for identifying a bird a 11oclock at night. Yeah, yeah....blame it on the time!! 😄 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaugust Posted August 8, 2021 Author Share Posted August 8, 2021 My excuse is usually I got home late AND I was having a beer, so I hear ya. Thanks everyone, new bird for me, even if isn't purple, I appreciate it. 😄 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 7 hours ago, Kevin said: That is what I get for identifying a bird a 11oclock at night. And on my phone, while the the dog was licking my face, ... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clip Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 17 hours ago, The Bird Nuts said: I'm seeing young Purple Finch here. Head shape is spot-on and it has a straight culmen. More photos might help. My first thought was Purple also and for the same reason. It looks like maybe molt has deadened the facial pattern one tends to look for on a Purple female. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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