What 'merican bird is this ?

[gus]

Mick & i were walking along the pier at San Fran when i heard a beautiful song. Took me a min to locate it but what a voice !

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/22900655-M.jpg

[Kirwin]

Kinda' looks like a House Finch, but not sure. Nice shot.

[windoze]

male finch.....,
nice capture


troyMick & i were walking along the pier at San Fran when i heard a beautiful song. Took me a min to locate it but what a voice !

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/22900655-M.jpg

[GREAPER]

IT looks to be some kind of finch.

Purple finches are marked like that, and are native to Northern CA, but the color is not right (the head and breast markings should be a redish purple. Your pics looks redish orange to me. For comparison, this is a male purple finch.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/4077614-M.jpg

The markings are wrong for a house finch. This is a Male House Finch

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/4078057-M.jpg


A Cassin's Finch is described as a BRIGHT RED head. I have no pic to show you. :cry

If it is possible that your white balance settings caused an increase in yellow in the pic, then I suggest that it is indeed a purple finch. I opened your image in PS and used selective color to reduce the yellow and it did shift the color much closer to a purple.

If your color is correct then my book does not show the bird you have photograped. This would not shock me as it happens often.

Just my thoughts gus.

[Kirwin]

Wow Greaper,

Based on your first pic, I think you're right about it being a Purple finch! Nice detective work.

IT looks to be some kind of finch.

Purple finches are marked like that, and are native to Northern CA, but the color is not right (the head and breast markings should be a redish purple. Your pics looks redish orange to me. For comparison, this is a male purple finch.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/4077614-M.jpg

The markings are wrong for a house finch. This is a Male House Finch

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/4078057-M.jpg


A Cassin's Finch is described as a BRIGHT RED head. I have no pic to show you. :cry

If it is possible that your white balance settings caused an increase in yellow in the pic, then I suggest that it is indeed a purple finch. I opened your image in PS and used selective color to reduce the yellow and it did shift the color much closer to a purple.

If your color is correct then my book does not show the bird you have photograped. This would not shock me as it happens often.

Just my thoughts gus.

[gus]

I re-did it (raw to jpeg) in PS...as bad as i am at it. :dunno cant see purple :scratch

Gus

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/23211875-M.jpg

[GREAPER]

That one looks even more yellow.

I hope I am not being a dill, but here is my crack at it, I hope you dont mind.

If this looks right to you I'll be grinning like a shot fox.

[Steve Cavigliano]

Gus,
Looks like what I've always called a house finch :scratch I know little about birds, so it might be a purple finch as Greaps suggests :dunno

I see them all the time. Here's one from my backyard that looks similar to yours.

http://freezeframephotography.smugmug.com/photos/17607086-L.jpg

Dang he's big.......lol



Steve

[GREAPER]

If you are sure your original color was right, and you dont mind me linking to your photo, I know a birding forum where we will get a pretty poative ID. There are LOTS of experts there, with all of the right books, and they love to show you what they know.

[gus]

If you are sure your original color was right, and you dont mind me linking to your photo, I know a birding forum where we will get a pretty poative ID. There are LOTS of experts there, with all of the right books, and they love to show you what they know.
No worries at all mate (linking) but i think steve got it....the song that came from it was so beautiful.

Gus

[Shay Stephens]

I would peg it at a house finch.